


Suicide Squad in reality

by MidoriNoHebi



Series: Ateez's Alternative Universes [2]
Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Backstory, Banshee Powers, Blood, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Choi Jongho as Black Canary, Developing Relationship, Enemies, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, Fights, Fire Powers, Guns, Ice Powers, Idiots in Love, Inspired by Suicide Squad (2016), Insults, Jeong Yunho as Deadshot, Jung Wooyoung as Poison Ivy, Kang Yeosang as Harley Quinn, Kangley Quinn, M/M, Meta humans, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Park Seonghwa as Killer Frost, People Change People, Redemption, Seo Changbin as Catwoman, Serious Injuries, Song Mingi as El Diablo, Suicide Squad, Swearing, Temporary Character Death, Violence, Weapons, Zombies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:35:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 103,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25993777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidoriNoHebi/pseuds/MidoriNoHebi
Summary: Amanda Waller is sent to Seoul after the threat of Gods awakening on Jeju, a small Island at the South of Korea, starts to be a Worldwide threat. She and South Korea's President find an accord : to send the worst scumbags of the country as a Squad, alongside their best operation Team made from a children weaponisation programm to supervise them.Colonel Kim Hongjoong will find himself as the head of the most dangerous Team ever created in the world, and between their own demons to fight and saving the world, this suicide mission might be the opportunity for the second chance they never asked for. But of course, how can you control five meta-humans ready to fight for their freedom and with the desire to kill everyone that would step in their way ? Well you grow closer to them, break the shell they built around themselves, and try to prove to them that they're not as bad as they think. Easier said than done, but some of them might really have the desire to change, or at least a desire for change ...
Relationships: Choi Jongho/Kang Yeosang, Choi San/Jung Wooyoung, Jeong Yunho/Song Mingi, Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa
Series: Ateez's Alternative Universes [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1898290
Comments: 155
Kudos: 263





	1. Ulleung Private Detention Center Files

**Author's Note:**

> Helloo guys ! I am back ! For those who took note of my little 'San in Wonderland' story, it really feels like the b-side of an album, while this new fiction and my previous one 'Now you're gonna take me there' are whole-ass title tracks. Anyway, the wait is almost over, here is a little overview of what is to come.  
> This fiction will be highly inspired by the 2016 Suicide Squad movie and by the DC Comic Universe in general, I'm sure you'll see where the inspiration stops, because I made a lot of personal research on South Korea's geography, and believes, and so I hope that you'll see the work I did in building the story's squeleton.  
> The characters will have closer back stories from the Comic Books than the movies, and that's what I used to build some of the relationships you'll see. All the tags aren't here yet, I will add more after the second and third chapter. I won't post as often as I did with my pirate fiction because every chapter is at least 8,000 words long for now, so it will be once a week if I can.  
> I really hope you'll be as enthusiastic for this one as you were for the other, my goal here is that if you red the previous one, you'll discover the same names but associated to entirely different personnalities.  
> For those who are new, Welcome, and I hope you'll follow this story on the way, and check out the previous one if you are curious. 
> 
> The previous one doesn't have any link to this one ! 
> 
> Enjoy !

**#1**

**name** PARK, SEONGHWA

**aliases** KILLER FROST

**record ID** P0304S22198 **blood type** O

**nationality** KOREAN **citizen** YES

**gender** MALE **race/ethnicity** ASIAN

**height** 5'10'' **weight** -

**eye color** BLUE **hair color** GREY / WHITE

**DOB** 04 03 98 **age** 22

**arrest & sentencing info**

MURDER

**other info**

AS HIS POWERS COME FROM THE HEAT HE OBSORBS, MUST BE KEPT IN A COLD ENVIRONNEMENT

__________

**#2**

**name** JEONG, YUNHO

**aliases** DEADSHOT

**record ID** J0323Y21299 **blood type** A

**nationality** KOREAN **citizen** YES

**gender** MALE **race/ethnicity** ASIAN

**height** 6'' **weight** -

**eye color** BROWN **hair color** BLACK

**DOB** 03 23 99 **age** 21

**arrest & sentencing info**

MURDER

EXTORSION

**other info**

DEAD SHOT IS A HIRED ASSASSIN, REGULARLY BOASTING TO “NEVER MISS”. HE IS CAPABLE OF USING A LARGE VARIETY OF WEAPONS

__________

**#3**

**name** KANG, YEOSANG

**aliases** KANGLEY QUINN

**record ID** K0615Y21399 **blood type** A

**nationality** KOREAN **citizen** YES

**gender** MALE **race/ethnicity** ASIAN

**height** 5'10'' **weight** -

**eye color** GREY **hair color** BLOND

**DOB** 06 15 99 **age** 21

**arrest & sentencing info**

ARMED ROBBERY

GRAND THEFT AUTO

BREAKING AND ENTERING

KIDNAPPING

ASSAULTING A POLICE OFFICER

**other info**

KANG HAS AN OBSESSION WITH A PREVIOUS PATIENT FROM ARKHAM ASYLUM KNOWN AS THE JOKER

__________

**#4**

**name** CHOI, SAN

**aliases** ENCHANTRESS

**record ID** \- not a detained **blood type** B

**nationality** KOREAN **citizen** YES

**gender** MALE / FEMALE **race/ethnicity** ASIAN / EXTRA DIMENSIONAL ENTITY

**height** 5'9'' / 5'9'' **weight** -

**eye color** BLACK / GREEN **hair color** BLACK AND RED / BLACK

**DOB** 07 10 99 **/** UNKNOWN **age** 21 / UNKNOWN

**arrest & sentencing info**

-

**other info**

CHOI HAS A SORT OF CONTRACT WITH THE ENCHANTERESS, WHEN HE CALLS HER NAME SHE TAKES POSSESSION OF HIS BODY, BUT DOESN'T CHANGE HIS GENDER OR ANY OTHER PHYSICAL SPECIALITIES

__________

**#5**

**name** SONG, MINGI

**aliases** AGMA

**record ID** S0809M21399 **blood type** B

**nationality** KOREAN **citizen** YES

**gender** MALE **race/ethnicity** ASIAN

**height** 6'' **weight** -

**eye color** BROWN **hair color** RED

**DOB** 08 09 99 **age** 21

**arrest & sentencing info**

MURDER

GANG LEADER

**other info**

REQUIRES FIRE-PROOF ENVIRONMENT

________

**#6**

**name** JUNG, WOOYOUNG

**aliases** POISON WISTERIA

**record ID** J1126W20599 **blood type** unknown

**nationality** KOREAN **citizen** YES

**gender** MALE **race/ethnicity** ASIAN

**height** 5'8'' **weight** -

**eye color** GREEN **hair color** PURPLE

**DOB** 11 26 99 **age** 20

**arrest & sentencing info**

MURDER

POISONING

ASSAULT AGAINST OFFICER

KIDNAPPING

**other info**

HIS ALIAS COMES FROM THE WISTERIA FLOWER, NATIVE TO KOREA, THAT PRODUCE A SAPONIN (CHEMICAL COMPOUND) CALLED WISTERIN, WHICH IS TOXIC IF INGESTED AND MAY CAUSE DIZZINESS, CONFUSION, SPEECH PROBLEMS, NAUSEA, VOMITTING, STOMACH PAINS, DIARREHA AND COLLAPSE

REQUIRES A NUCLEAR ENVIRONMENT _ HERBICIDE


	2. Episode 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo many tings to say, most of them will be said at the end to not spoil though ... Like I said welcome to this new fiction, I hope you'll like it and that you'll be interested by it. I don't have many chapters ready yet, so I will be slow to update the story but the chapters are pretty long so I hope that'll make up for it.  
> Don't by shy, leave a kudo and a comment if you liked the story, it's always nice ! 
> 
> Hope you'll like this first chapter and enjoy !
> 
> (so this little message comes a few week after I finished it. I didn't have a good english corrector on my computer before, I do now so I will repost every chapter corrected, sorry for the many many faults you might see I did not correct yet)

Amanda Waller, busy woman with a whole security country in her hands, got out of the car that pulled out in front of the fanciest and most expensive restaurant in Seoul.

She wouldn't look at the price of her meat tonight, as she had more urging matters.

Thanking with a nod the man whom opened the door for her, she was led by a waiter to a table on the rooftop of the twenty levels building. When the doors of the elevator opened, she walked to the only table she could see, not startled by the heavily armed soldiers standing all around, followed by her own personal guards.

A man stood up and bowed to her, and she did the same, not uncultured about different countries' traditions.

“Miss Waller,” welcomed the man, reaching a hand for her to take and shake.

She did, answering back :

“President Moon.”

Moon Jae-In, South Korea's President and Amanda Waller's new client. Sort of. They weren't really clients and she was not to sell anything, as you could not put a price on national security.

But the Korean President knew very well with whom he was having diner. That woman was known all around the world for her tendency to build suicide squad teams and get the job done, one way or another. He should have felt glad to have her to help him, but at the same time, her techniques and decisions rose a lot of questions. The woman was heartless, cold, threw under the bus the soldiers she didn't have any use for anymore without a second thought, and just made sure things would be done her way. Moon knew how Amanda Waller was often in conflict with her colleagues and superiors in Washington D.C.. She had her temper and her personality, and didn't let anyone step on it. The president could admire that. But he could also see it as a problem.

Diner was served and they started to eat in silence, Amanda waiting for the President to say something.

“I called you here for a ... situation.”

She gently laid her fork down and crossed her hands in front of her, elbows on the table.

“I believe so, yes. What might that be ?”

“You are not without knowing Seoul had been under the chaos of villains and meta-humans for quite a few years now, our own police and military forces finding themselves overwhelmed.”

“I do.”

“But, you must also know that our government built a special Task Force, with the youngest but best soldiers Korea had ever made.”

Amanda snickered at that and resumed her eating.

“Admitting what you did with those kids, I really hope you won't find my methods inhuman Mister the President.”

Moon's lips formed a thin line, perfectly knowing he was not a white board either. The special Force he was referring too was one they started to work on ten years ago, when the first meta-humans had started to strike, to prevent situation from the ones that happened in the future. Task Force Z was a military Force built with thousands of young boys and girls from 8 to 12 years old, ripped from their home and thrown in training camps. During years they were trained to become killing machines, knowing every fighting style possibles, and how to use a large variety of weapons. Fire weapons and bladed weapons.

“They had finally managed to clean the City, fighting in hand in hand with good meta-humans that used their skills to help their government. But we are having a crises here. Three years ago an archaeologist well known to us came back from one of his trip completely mad, yelling everywhere on national TV and to the papers that dooms day was upon us. He's rich, and didn't have issues to not get his name tarnished and still be able to spread his nonsense. But somehow, he managed to get access to military weapon system - we suspect the Russian and Chinese about this. He made of Seoul a war zone without anyone understanding how, and we had to evacuate thousands of hundreds of people ! We don't have anywhere to house them ! The Government has been threatened, I have been threatened, do you even know what is after us ?!”

“I do,” cut Waller in the President's panics

Leaning closer and eying his soldiers, the President added :

“He already killed three ministers ! We don't know how, but he turned the City in a real dystopian world in less than a week. He posted some weird stuff on his social medias, before turning silent, only making a name of himself with his repetitive attacks over the population. It's almost as if he called for the dark arts.”

“I'm pretty sure the bomb you hid from the rest of the world that he dropped in the middle of Seoul helped. Now he's just using his abilities to bring back as much minor gods from your myths as possible.”

“What ?”

“You did not know ?”

Amanda made a sign towards one of her guards who came to her with a small suitcase. She took out of it a pile of different files, but only gave one to the president.

“Seoul was a distraction,” she said. “His real objective is Jeju Island.”

“But that's in the South of our Country !”

“The location is not the issue.”

“Jeju Island is nothing but a volcanic landscape ! There is nothing there !”

“Or so you thought. I had to make a little bit of research for this, as I'm not from around here, but your mythology is really interesting. What brought my interest to Jeju Island in peculiar, was the seismic activity wakening in the area, as well as the intensity increasing each day since you asked for my help a month ago.”

“What are you getting at,” asked the President, raising his head from pages talking about Korean Gods and Goddesses.

“What I'm getting at is that this archaeologist discovered the existence of a tomb buried deep beneath the Hallasan on Jeju Island. Does the God Koenegitto sound familiar ? Sorry for my pronunciation in advance ...”

“The God of War ?!”

“That's his tomb buried deep within. Jeju Island in where he was born, correct ?”

“Y-yes, but the Island is under the protection of Halmang ! She will not let Koenegitto be awakened !”

“Are you sure about that ?”

The President was looking at her with horrified eyes and yet she was eating the rest of her diner as if they were talking about weather and families. She didn't sens the tension lingering in the air, or decided to ignore it : she was used to it after all.

“You said it yourself, this archaeologist seemed to be in possession of forces far greater that we can ever possess. He called for dark magic, that makes no doubt, otherwise, he wouldn't be able to communicate with Halmang like he does.”

The President took another paper and gasped when seeing a picture of Jeong Jaeng, the archaeologist spreading terror in his Country, body covered in weird markings and kneeling on the highest point of Jeju Island. His was dressed in sort of ceremonial gowns, eyes closed and he seemed to pray.

“Three seconds after this photo was taken, a very dens and dark forest came up from the ground, covering the entire Island minus the Hallasan and the edge of the Island.”

“How did we not heard of it ?”

“That, is a mystery. But this is only from yesterday.”

“You have to help us,” asked the President, closing the file and falling back against his backrest. “If his powers are true, and he manages to summon the guardian of the Island-”

“I know your Gods are not malevolent, but I'm pretty sure South Korea will be destroyed if Koenegitto comes back from his sleep. Your people sealed him and condemned him thousands of years ago to ensure peace for your Country, but that shall not be what he seeks. And after South Korean, the whole world might see Gods of War from all cultures waking up, and then, it will be the end of all of us. Dooms day in the flesh as the archaeologist said.”

The President gulped, hard.

“I take it you did not come here to tell us there is nothing to do ? So ? How will you help us ?”

“Will I have white card on my methods, or will you be a problem standing in my way do deal with this ?”

Being a problem for Amanda Waller was the same as being a problem for the United States and meant only one thing : you did not want to be this problem.

“We will want to know everything that is going on, but you will have your freedom.”

She considered the President for a second, before putting her fork down again and this time, she was the one leaning closer.

“It's taken some work, but I finally have them, the worst of the worst.”

She took a very thick folder she dropped on the table, startling the President by its big thump. On top of it were written the words _TOP SECRET_ and _DANGEROUS._

“They are rumors, Miss Waller, that some of them have abilities,” said Moon, looking at the woman and then at the folder.

“The rumors are true. Meta-humans that destroyed your own streets, how could you not know ? But, do you know what is the problem with meta-humans ? The human part.”

“Some of them share our values,” pointed out the President, thinking about their new recruit in the Task Force Z.

“Some will not, and most of them actually don't. The better way to kill fire is with fire.”

“I'm listening.”

Amanda opened the folder to show the picture of a young man, black hair parted on each side of his head, black eyes, sun-kissed skin and a friendly face.

“Park Seonghwa, best student in school, high school then University. He went at Seoul University with the goal of becoming a scientist. Two years ago he started working on a project in the Arctic with a professor he was very fond of. Learning the man didn't share his feelings got him in trouble, and he accidentally locked himself in a thermostatic chamber but managed to survive. He got out of it looking like that,” she moved the picture of the young student to reveal the same face, but looking entirely different. His hair had turned the purest white one could witness, his skin had turned pale, lips purple, and eyes now an icy blue.

The President's eyes widened.

“He got out like this ?! How ?!”

“His body absorbed all the cold that was around him and turned him into Killer Frost. It took the boy a few month to realize Park Seonghwa was still alive deep down, and they now share this body. They work very well together, as we could witness when he decided to kill the entire team of scientists that came with him in Arctic, right after leaving the hospital. He can absorb the heat of another human being, and turn it into snow and frost he projects on his enemies. We managed to capture him thanks to a hero of our own, who injected in his body a product that contained liquid heat. Unable to absorb the whole thing, he collapsed.”

“How do you keep him locked ?”

“We keep him safe in an underground cell no one has access too. Even if his powers also come from coldness, they mostly come from heat, so his cell is at absolute zero temperatures.”

“Oh my god ...”

Amanda turned the file and revealed another boy, who looked barely older than Seonghwa. He also had bleach hair and black eyes, and even if he looked like a puppy, his criminal record set things right in a second.

“Jeong Yunho, aka Deadshot. He's the most wanted hit-man in the world. Let's say he had an elite clientèle. But everyone had a weakness, and a weakness can be leveraged : his younger brother, Gunho. We attached to him, and waited.”

“And you got him ?”

“Not me. I just gave the right tip to a guy in Gwangju, his city.”

“I don't understand, he had perfect scores in high school and could've gone to a great University !”

“He was bathed in violence since his birth. A drunkard father, a defenseless mother and a little brother to protect ... He killed his faster when he was 15. Since then, he decided he'd need to help his family the only way he knew how to : kill people for money. And it did help.”

“Did his family knew ?”

“No. But now we have the man who never misses.”

“Where did you put him ?”

“Let's just say I put him in a whole and threw away the whole.”

It was cold and heartless but the President didn't say anything and focused on the third face being presented to him, and he knew this one all too well. It ran a shiver down his back and caused him nightmares at night.

“Kangley Quinn,” he breathed out. That man was the devil disguised in the face of an angel. Even without his makeup and dyed tips of hair, the criminal was beautiful with his short blond hair falling in waves in front of his eyes. He looked savage, a wildness hidden behind a calculated composure. He had a heart tattooed on the right cheek, and he could see the words _bitter tattooed_ on his jaw.

“Before running off and joining the circus, he was known as Dr. Kang Yeosang, the smartest kid South Korea must have ever seen, considering he was a psychiatrist at only 19 - a lost, really ... He was assigned to the clown himself. He thought he was curing him, when in reality he was falling in love.”

The President grimaced and Amanda scoffed.

“A workplace romance gone wrong. They became the King and the Queen of Pohang. And god helped anyone who disrespected the Queen. He's crazier than the Joker, and more fearless.”

“How did it passed in his mental health control to be a psychiatrist ?”

“He was asleep then. Joker awakened something in him. But, we tangled with the meta-human and lived to tell about it.”

The face now looking at the President might not be what caught his eyes first, but the fiery red hair did. The boy looked like a lost child who regretted his life decisions, his eyes only reflecting sadness.

“Ever heard of the pyrokinetic homeboy ?”

“How did you catch him ?”

“We didn't. He surrendered.”

That answer did not surprised the President at all. Seeing murder on the boy's file did, but reading what had happened, he guessed the boy was one of those meta-humans who got overwhelmed by his powers, and lost control over them. He had lost his entirely family by his flames.

“Song Mingi. From the streets they call him Agma. _Devil_ in Korean, right ? This Incheon gang banger thought he was King of the world, until he lost everything. Gets jumped in prison riot and incinerates half the yard.”

She took a sip of wine, unbothered by the shock on the President's face.

“The security video is incredible.”

“I'll pass,” muttered Moon.

The next file showed a young man who clearly knew about his charms and how to used them, but the President never wanted to get close to that boy.

“Jung Wooyoung, or as he named himself, Poison Wisteria. He grew up in a rich family of Ilsan, at Gyeonggi-do. Studied botany and advanced biochemistry in University. Since his younger age, he has always been found in march for climate, defending ecology and being a real figure to follow thanks to his undeniable charisma and speech skills.”

The boy had a very pale skin but the veins of his necks, wrists and ankles - if the pictures were real - glowed green, plants coming from them and wrapped around the limbs. His eyes also had this nuclear aspect, with a forest green iris but pastel green bulbous conjunctiva. His hair must had been purple once, but they now had a faded lilac shade.

“I take it it's the same incident as Mister Park that turned him like this ?”

“Not quite. He did fell in love with one of his professors, but this guy was smart. He decided to used Jung's heart against him, and started experimenting with toxins and poisons, using the boy as his test subject. It almost killed him twice. In the end, the physical changes happened, but not only. His blood is filled with chlorophyll. He can control plants and feel their pain. He suffered from light madness after the experimentations, and the professor who used him ran away, leaving Jung at the door of death. He spent six months in a hospital, before killing the nurse and doctor assigned to him, and running away. Since then, he had yet to destroy the Country for the pollution its causing to the nature all around us, and tried to drown his native City in plants. He became an eco-terrorist.”

“Does he have other abilities than talking to plants ?”

“He might be one of the deadliest without needing to move a finger. He can not only talk to plants, but make them grow. And I'm not talking about decorating a yard with flowers, but about growing goddamn 15 foot tall carnivorous plants. Of course, he's immune to every poison and toxin known to men kind, and he can create them, making them even deadlier than they truly are.”

“Student in advanced biochemistry ...”

“Precisely. His lips are venomous. He killed three police officers by kissing them. He might be my favorite meta-human, more plant than human, breathing CO2 and feeding on light by photosynthesis. His body is also capable of producing pheromones that makes all the men around him fall under mind control. We know he has a weakness for Dr. Kang. They were childhood friends and fell to the dark side almost at the same time, not once breaking contact and even helping each other out when the other needed it.”

“How do you keep someone like him locked ?”

“Easy. You put him in an empty greenhouse filled with herbicide to make sure he can't kill any plant around him or grow some. The light still comes through and keep him alive, otherwise he'd be dead.”

The President had to take a moment to pass his hands in his hair, messing the styling, and pressed his palms against his eyes.

“Are we done ?”

“Almost. I saved the best for last. The witch.”

The President's hands fell immediately and he looked at Amanda as if she had grown a second head.

“A witch ?”

“I'm talking about lying, spell casting, making shit disappear witch. A sorceress from another dimension, another world.”

She turned the final page of the folder, and the President was surprised to see the boy didn't have a  _DANGER_ stamp on his name. He looked adorable, dimpled smile, black hair with red locks, black eyes, nice kid. Went to church with his parents every weekend. Classic golden boy, everybody liked him and he was friends with everyone.

“He got invited to an American-like party in Namhae, South Gyeongsan. Meaning the house was open for every kids under legal age to come. Of course, they drunk a lot, and it turned out one of the other kids at this house had a thing for dark magic and summoning. We're not talking about the same level as our dear Jeong Jaeng stay assured. A simple blood sacrifice with nothing but dead animal paws and the wrong Latin formula. No one knows who did the casting, but one thing was sure, Choi San entered the wrong room at the wrong time.”

She mentioned for the President to move the picture and underneath it, was one on which the boy looked like San, but not exactly. It was him for sure, but something in his eyes, starting with the emerald green, was disturbing. The hair had gone entirely black and longer, falling in wet strings in front of his dark eyes on the nape of his neck. His skin had turned a dusted gray, and he was wearing weird ornaments, first a crown on his head that held a crescent, and then chains resting on his shoulders, and probably on the rest of his body too.

“Whoever made that sacrifice shouldn't have. They released a meta-human more powerful than any we've encountered. The Enchantress. She inhabits Choi San's body now. Her potential of magic and powers is limitless. She can use either magic She wants, black, white, elementary, can possess human being as proven, and move through walls and time, teleporting.”

“W-where is this witch now ?!”

“In my pocket. San is not someone naturally dangerous, and Enchantress only shows when he calls for Her name. Just like Park and Killer Frost, they have a contract, and live well together. But unlike Park, San is not someone that succumbs to violence easily. He is naturally sweet, gentle, and selfless, and he came on his own, volunteering when he heard about what was going on around here. We tested Her powers a little further, and it turns out she can use very powerful magnetic fields, and create mind-wrecking illusions.”

“You want to put our national security in the hands of witches, gang-bangers and plants ? Let's not forget about the Joker's _boyfriend_ ! These are villains Miss Waller, what makes you think you can control them ?”

“Making people act against their self-interest for the national security ? That's my job Mister the President. You take the finest officers your nation has ever produced, your Colonel Kim Hongjoong - really impressive hunt board if I may say, 22 and he had done more for this Country that anyone else - and it will be fine.”

“You already met my men and took the liberty to make our team meet,” realised the President, frowning and talking louder.

Kim Hongjoong, one of the thousands of hundreds of children stolen to their family by the government ten years ago, had became the most talented and efficient soldier of South Korea. Expert in special OPS and counter insurgency, can us any weapon in any countries inventory. A perfect brain-washed soldier whom never failed a mission and made a point to bring back his teams alive and well, without leaving one soldier behind. That might be his only default if you asked the President : he too was selfless.

Amanda put her cutlery down, done with diner, glancing at the still half-full plate of the President.

“I assigned Kim to watch Choi San, and as expected, he took him under his wings and developed that weird fatherhood instinct your soldier-program was not able to kill. In a world of plant-men and monsters, this is the only way to protect your country.”

The Korean President knew she was right, but it didn't mean he liked the idea.

“Alright, but I want Colonel Kim to see them first.”

And so he did. Kim Hongjoong, young man of 22 years old, born November 1998, best soldier of his generation. Blue navy hair, hazel lively eyes, small - tiny even-, but powerful.

“Why are we here ?” he asked Amanda sitting next to him.

“We're here so you can see which people I assigned to you.”

“They better be good.”

“Oh believe me, they're the worst at what they do.”

Hongjoong frowned, confused, but looking at his boss would not be helpful either so decided to give it up for now. He could see through the chopper's window Ulleung, the little Island near South Korean in which had been built the prison holding these people. It was raining like crazy, and so both of them had umbrellas. San was not with them today, Hongjoong's personal demands, and Waller had accepted. San would discover the others once they would be needed (little did he know, they were needed yesterday already).

The manager of the prison welcomed them, a guy name Griggs, that Hongjoong didn't like well. He eyed the man suspiciously while the man sucked Amanda's ass by pulling the _so glad to see you ma'am, welcome_ and blablabla ...

And then they were finally in. He and Amanda separated, and he was led to an underground prison. He expected it to be hot, but he was surprised when a very thick suit was handed to him. It looked like one of those you wore in the middle of nuclear fields.

“Why ?”

“You don't want to go down there without at least three layers of clothes. It's really cold.”

That was a fucking understatement. The second Hongjoong stepped out of the elevator, he saw how the whole corridor was covered in ice, and it got thicker the closest he approached the iron cube in the middle of the room the corridor led to.

He went to the surveillance cameras, and saw only a room, entirely covered in snow too, the thick metal walls now completely white. He could swore snow was falling inside the cell. The room was really simple : a bed that didn't look comfortable, toilets and a sink, and a bathtub filled with water, ice cubs the size of a fist floating at the surface. Whom the fuck did Amanda chose for his team ?

“Where is he ?” he asked the one in charge.

The man pressed a button and spoke in the microphone.

“Frost, you got visit.”

Hongjoong figured the other must've heard, because the water in the bath started to move, before a man lifted his head out of the water in the most elegant way possible. Platinum blond hair plastered back, his eyes opened on blue pupils that look made from the purest ice. He stood up, strong and athletic body looking extremely pale, lips tainted a slight purple. If he didn't have any proof the man was alive, Hongjoong would've thought him dead.

“Well,” started Frost. “Where is my dear guest ?”

Hongjoong stepped forwards, and the door of Frost's cell became entirely see-through, letting the two parts seeing each other.

“Oh, pretty boy,” whistled the white male.

“Park Seonghwa ?”

“That's Killer Frost for you,” the other changed personality in a second, snapping.

“That's whatever I want it to be,” replied Hongjoong, unimpressed. He actually had to focus a little on keeping his sexual attraction in check, not understanding why knowing the other was a murdered wasn't enough to keep him from finding him hot. Yes yes, Seonghwa might have been Killer _Frost_ , but he was _hot_.

“Cold,” laughed the other, snatching a towel from his bed and drying his body. “I like it,” Seonghwa passed a slow and very long tongue on his frozen lips, not missing one bit how Hongjoong's eyes followed the movement.

“Isn't there anyone to heat up that cell ?” the Colonel asked, ripping his eyes away by turning to the other guys.

“Didn't you read my file pretty boy ? Cold is my thing, but I get it from heat. Warm me up and I'll cool you down,” a wave of cold erupted from Seonghwa's body, covering everything around him with another layer of ice, and Hongjoong could feel it through his clothes, suppressing a shiver. Looking back at the man he almost stepped back but settled for only widening his eyes in surprise when he met with a different version of Seonghwa. The platinum hair had turned entirely white, and the eyes were a flashy blue, more blinding than the sunlight.

“Hi,” his voice now sounded distant, and even if he could recognized Seonghwa's, the veil on top of it clearly was from someone else. And he guessed than someone was Killer Frost. What he couldn't understand was why Seonghwa introduced himself as his double when the other wasn't out yet.

“I've seen everything I needed to.”

“Hope you'll get me out of this cell Captain,” said Seonghwa rolling his tongue on each word, walking closer to the door with slow steps that hypnotized Hongjoong. The man had to remember he needed to breath and gulped loudly, but thankfully it was hidden by the fact another soldier had done the same noise.

Killer Frost turned to said soldier with a smirk and a raised brow, eyes flashing white one last time before turning back to Hongjoong.

“If you have to call me something it'll be Colonel Kim. Not Captain,” said the smaller, using the distraction to pull himself back together. Seonghwa pouted at that.

“I don't like it. I bet everyone calls you that !”

“As they should.”

“Well I won't. Captain's your pet name. Or would you rather have sweetheart ? Dreamy eyes ?”

“Enough.”

“I'm feeling quite hot from all your coldness Captain~” smiled Seonghwa, laughing when he was only answered by a murderous glance before Hongjoong decided he had seen enough.

He left the cell, cursing his shaking hands. He didn't know the other for a long time, but he knew Seonghwa would be the one whom would play with his nerves and try to make him lose control the most.

Internally slapping himself, he fixed the gun strapped at his thigh and jumped in the elevator. Next step, the highest floor. Hongjoong was once more surprised to see the prison was nothing like a casual one. It was way too luminous to be normal.

The ceiling was made of glass, as if he had entered a greenhouse. The room was relatively empty too, if not for the giant glass cell in the middle of the room, forming a dome. He could see several warning signs about toxic products, and the pink smoke constantly lingering in the air of the cell made him believe those signs. He didn't know what type of creature they had in there, but it wasn't human.

The closer he got, the better he could see a curled shape on the floor, knees bent under their body, hands on the floor, as if trying to reach something from inside it.

Hongjoong raised his hands and knocked on the glass with his index's knuckle to grab the person's attention. From the corner of his eyes he could see all the soldiers tensing and their fingers already on their trigger without even aiming.

“Who's there ?” the voice sounded weak and suffering, as if they were suffering from the poison in the air.

“Colonel Kim Hongjoong. Your future boss.”

At that silence followed, but then he saw the shape move, stand up and walk towards him. The way they walked was as hypnotizing as Seonghwa's, but differently : their whole body was moving as if they were flowers bending under the wind.

Then a face came out, and Hongjoong swore he was in the wrong place. A prison could not held such beautiful creatures. Jung Wooyoung's features were delicate, with full cheek, a round chin, and plain lips. A contrast to his sharp jaw, dark eyes, and menacing aura. His hair were a sweet purple meddled with gray, not ugly with the light green of his skin. He could see ivies on his naked wrists and ankles. Wooyoung was not really more dressed than Seonghwa, also wearing black underwear, and the prison's orange shirt entirely open, ripped at the sleeve, and tied in a knot on his flat stomach like a sixties pin-up top. His nails were darker, almost black, and his eyes were a light green, a reminder of the product that had turned him into that.

Hongjoong could almost feel sorry for them. Wooyoung and Seonghwa were the only ones he saw for now, but both ended up being changed on physical and cellular levels because of ex lovers. Both of them were clearly tensed in his presence, and trust was something he would probably die without earning from them, even if he waited his whole life for it.

That and the fact he'd have the fate of their life in the palm of his hands in a few days.

“I don't think so,” Wooyoung's voice was high, fitting his personality and appearance. “I won't do shit for you, I don't bend to men anymore. Look where that got me.”

“I'm afraid you won't really have a choice here.”

Wooyoung scoffed, as if Hongjoong could really force him into doing anything he didn't want to.

“That's typical of men like you with power. The second you're given the chance to hold others under your orders, you'll be an ass and throw us all under the bus. Don't think I don't know what this is about, Kim Hongjoong,” the Colonel shivered, feeling all the dangerous between the reddish lips speaking his name. “I won't be your house plant.”

“I'm expecting a little more from you. If I wanted a house plant I'd buy one. And don't get me wrong, I take care of my plants.”

Wooyoung scoffed another time, but without smiling, eying Hongjoong up and down to corner his mind. Seeing the other was being honest and had understood the subtext behind his words, Wooyoung laid a hand on the glass of his cell, body following.

“Then open up ? I can't breath in there ... I can feel my babies calling for me and I need to get to them, they need me,” whined Wooyoung, eyes dark from a clear idea in his mind.

And if Hongjoong hadn't red Seonghwa's file, he had Wooyoung's. And knew what type of trick the other could pull off.

“You'll be left out when the moment is right. I don't need your abilities right now.”

“It's killing me, Hongjoong please !” it really was sinful how Wooyoung almost moaned the name, but Hongjoong didn't let it get to him. He was definitely not feeling any attraction to the younger.

“Don't think I don't know things about you too, Poison Wisteria,” hearing his self-given name seemed to snapped Wooyoung out of his act, and he straightened himself. His face, before contorsed into a pained expression, was now unreadable.

“Blue,” he said after a while, eyes looking at Hongjoong's hair. The Colonel stayed silent, curious about what the other had to say. “Blue is for new opportunities and possibilities, achieve the impossible. It's as if you might have done it on purpose to chose this color ...”

The soldier was confused, and it showed on his face.

“Or not ... You have no idea what is the flower language, do you ?” this single question from Wooyoung reminded Hongjoong of the other's University studies, and he shook his head. “So you don't know why lavender either then ?” Wooyoung took a lock of his own hair, eyes lost in memories turned to it.

“No,” Hongjoong answered vocally, knowing the other wouldn't see him if he shook his head again.

“Lavender means love at first sight. He offered one to me on our first date.”

The older understood - somehow - immediately Wooyoung was talking about the man who turned him into Poison Wisteria. He stayed silent again, not knowing what he could answer this time. Fortunately, the younger didn't seem to wait for him, and concluded their conversation :

“We'll see if you deserve peach flowers from me, Kim Hongjoong.”

And he turned his heels, walking back into the toxic smoke of his cell. Hongjoong was left puzzled, and it's like a robot that he walked back to the elevator. He'd need to check what peach flowers meant ...

Last level before he'd join with Waller again, the crazy fuck's one.

“Careful Sir, he's ... good with his words,” warned the soldier responsible for the floor's security.

Walking in Hongjoong noticed a small balcony all around the room, dozens of men walking around it as well as down on the floor, heavily armed. He had to go through a barbed wire's square, and even then he fell himself in front of a squarish cell. Walls and top of it made only of bars, leaving no intimacy whatsoever to the boy doing aerial silk, pop music blasting from the hidden speaker in the corners of the wall. Hongjoong almost had a heart attack when the boy whom was sitting on the silk, one leg hanging and the other resting on it, suddenly wrapped his bent leg around the silk, both hands grabbing it as well, while he threw himself froward, and spinning, ended up head down, arms dangling, only supported by the one leg he had trapped in the silk, the other elegantly staying straight towards the sky. Hongjoong saw how his straight blond hair fell, half of them with blue tips, the other half with pink tips.

“Doctor Kang Yeosang ?”

The boy froze, finally paying attention to him, and grabbed the silk again, freeing his leg from it to come back on the floor, naked feet touching the cold cement under them without showing any sign of discomfort. He was wearing very tight white shorts, gymnastic ones if Hongjoong was correct, with a loose with shirt bearing the words _burn after use_ in black. He could see several tattoos on his porcelain skin, but unlike Seonghwa it wasn't from a deprivation of body heat, but from a chemical products that depigmented his skin when he jumped in it to please his lover.

_Another one with relationship issues_ , thought Hongjoong, thinking how his life had actually been rather peaceful in 22 years of celibate.

“It's been a while since I was called that,” his voice was deep, deeper than the older expected, and it surprised him a moment. “I'm not a doctor. Not anymore. I'm by my puddin's side now,” ah there it was.

Yeosang seemed a little too collected for his real mental state in Hongjoong's opinion. But saying those words, a smile that could seem shy but was actually entirely made from madness twisted his lips, and he tilted his head on the side, revealing a birth mark under his left eye the chemicals he had jumped on wasn't able to take away. The boy was breath-taking. He could almost understand the Joker's obsession for him, seeing how ethereal he looked, no matter was he was doing. Even in madness, Yeosang looked like the child of a God and a Goddess.

“It didn't work out did it ? As you're here, and he's ... well ... not,” Hongjoong knew he'd have to play if he wanted to let the side of Yeosang that interested him out.

“I don't mind. I can play with other boys y'know ? I'm puddin's, but he lets me play sometimes. Though it doesn't really end up well for my toys ...” the boy pouted, genuine and smart, knowing what kind of game Hongjoong was playing. Two could play it after all, and he would crack Hongjoong way before the other would crack him. He knew his way in other people's brain after all. “I know you don't know how to play,” he smiled, tilting his head on the other side. His sharp jaw was decorated with _BITTER_ , written in elegant letters, and the heart on his left cheekbone was faded from dust. His right forearm was entirely hidden behind black and red harlequin's patterns.

“Oh really ?” played Hongjoong, not letting the nervous smile tainting his lips.

“I mean, you have such a lack in parental love it's not surprising. I'm pretty sure you'd jump in the arm of the first man that would open them for you,” shrugged Yeosang, saying it like it wasn't a big deal. Not matter how much Hongjoong knew it was true but was only the psycho's attempt to set him off, it hurt, because it was only half true.

“I'm not one to let psychopath turn me into a crazy soldier, or my teacher turn me into a killing machine.”

Yeosang's eyes narrowed, as if he knew whom Hongjoong was talking about with the last statement.

“You turned into a killing machine though. It's your only purpose in life, to kill. And that's why you'll always be alone. Because deep down, you regret every life you took. And as long as you'll fight the side of you that enjoys killing, you'll always be lonely,” Yeosang's voice echoes, as they spoke as if it was only the two of them in the room. Hongjoong turned his eyes to the floor.

“I can never enjoy this.”

“All of us can. How do you think we ended here ? The longer you fight it, the more it'll hurt.”

“I'm not twisted like you Yeosang.”

“Neither is Wooyoung. Or Killer Frost. And yet ... they enjoy the kill.”

“They are sick. Differently from you but-”

“Why oh why don't you want to understand ?!” Yeosang had thrown himself away from the bars, his back bending and for a second, Hongjoong thought he'd fell. But he landed on his silk and let it swing. “We're not sick. On the opposite. We don't lie behind smiles and facades. We are who we are, and we're proud of it. Denying who you really are, deep inside, what you really want ... That's sick.”

Hongjoong couldn't answer. Not because he didn't know what to answer, but because Yeosang's words echoed in his mind with a particularly painful part of himself he had fought for the biggest part of his training. Forgetting who he was for what the government wanted to turn him in. What made Hongjoong the best leader and even soldier of this damn commando of hell wasn't how he had been well programmed by his Country. On the opposite, it was how much of the little twelve year old boy he kept while they tried to kill him and force someone else out.

The blue-haired was done with Kang Yeosang, and he left without saying another word. He needed to get himself back together. He was a Colonel goddammit. If they managed to get inside of his head now, he wouldn't be able to keep them under control once they'd be left out in the streets.

“-im ? Colonel Kim ?” he would've jumped if he wasn't better trained, but instead he just pulled out a gain and aimed it at the head of the reason he had been startled. Both he and the young soldier froze, him because this gesture was sweating with Yeosang's analysis.

“Sorry, old habits,” he said, dropping the gun and putting it back in the holster on his thigh.

“M-miss Walter is waiting for you in the courtyard,” stuttered the soldier. Hongjoong sighed, tired, and nodded.

“Alright. Thank you.”

He was led by five soldiers walking around him, and he scoffed internally : they would never be able to assure his protection as much as he would himself. It was still raining when he came out, spotting Amanda's form a little further in the middle of the prison walls, a soldier hanging an umbrella above her head. She was standing in front of a cylindrical tube, large enough to fit a child, but not an adult, and even less a 6 foot one !

It was connected to tubes, themselves connected to water reserves.

“He doesn't want to come out,” said one soldier, breaking Hongjoong from his observation. Before Amanda could speak, he came closer, cap and hood on, and asked :

“Why ?”

“Says he hurt enough people. He's better locked in here, and the world's better off without him.”

“I don't care where he thinks his place his, I need him out and I need him now,” snapped Amanda. The blue-haired sighed, that woman never had an ounce of patience in her, and probably since the day she was born.

“Let me try and talk to him.”

“If you fail ?”

“Well then you can force him to get out like your way,” his smile was very much insolent but he didn't give two shit about it. The situation was getting worst and worst. He came closer until he was facing the little porthole provided by the locked door of the tube. Looking through the dirty window, he felt his heart clench.

This couldn't be the good guy. He couldn't be the heartless bastard who burned his family and house down, as well as an entire yard of prisoners. He had a _kid_ in front of his eyes. Barely older than San he was sure of it. He looked lost, not as if he had no idea what he was doing locked up, but as if he didn't know what place he held into the world. As if he would gladly let himself die of hanger if it wasn't for the soldiers force-feeding him every day.

“Hey,” he said gently, to not startle the other. He still did. The other was highly tensed, it was obvious, and Hongjoong's and Amanda's presence probably didn't help shit. “It's alright, I don't want to hurt you.”

“You want me to get out of here, don't you ?” it sounded accusing, and Hongjoong almost regretted that yes, it was his goal.

“I don't know yet ...,” he answered truthfully. “Can you answer a few questions for me ?”

“What the hell is wrong with you ? Why ?”

“So I can decided if I want you out of here or locked for the rest of your life.”

“It's not your call to make.”

“Actually, it kind of is.”

“The fact that I don't want to go out ain't enough for you to drop it ?”

“So, what's your name ?” Hongjoong totally ignored his question to ask his own, knowing pushing the kid in a corner was the only way for him to fight back.

“Didn't you read that in my file ? What game do you think you're playing ?”

“I'm not asking some unperson and dumb paper, I'm asking _you_. What's your name ?”

The kid had hair as red as a young flame, vibrating with locks of orange, similar to the heart of the flames in a fire.

“Agma,” he answered after a hesitation, and Hongjoong raised a brow.

“That's ... not your real name ... is it ?”

“Fuck's sake you're stubborn ! Mingi ! There happy ! My name's Mingi ! What d'you want from me ?! I just want to be left alone in here to rot for the rest of my life is it too much to ask ?!”

This only pained Hongjoong even more. Mingi reminded the Colonel of San. The first days the boy had to deal with the powers of the Enchantress he had been overwhelmed. San had the same fear of his own abilities in the eyes as Mingi did, and he too had expressed the idea to disappear far from civilisation to make sure he wouldn't hurt anyone. But Hongjoong took him under his wings and helped him overcome his fears. San lacked in self-confidence and self-esteem, Enchantress worsened things, and Hongjoong shook them. It was almost scary how use to Her San was now. And all that thanks to Hongjoong.

The Colonel would be damned to let Mingi - even if he was technically a bad guy - ruin his life and decided to end it so young.

“How old are you ?”

“I don't know. What month are we ?”

“September.”

“Oh ... I turned 21 not long ago then.”

“21 ... Believe it or not Mingi, but I'm only 22. I've done wrongs too, for the greater good I'm told, but I know what I ripped from some people in unforgivable and unforgettable.”

“And you still live your life like the classic government paid asshole. Want a medal ?”

Hongjoong burst out in genuine laugher, surprising everyone around him but Mingi the most. He needed a few seconds to get his breath back, and then he met with the other red-haired's worried face. The younger wasn't sure whom was on the right side of the prison door now.

“Sorry it's just, you bite back. It reminds me of a friend of mine. As old as you. With also a peculiarity he couldn't control. He does now. And I helped him. I'm not trying to say I'm the reason he can control his powers, no, his efforts paid and his success is entirely his. But I was there to support him and tell him that he could do it when nobody else was, not even himself. I'm not as good with psychology as our dear Doctor Kang, but I can tell that's something you've been looking for.”

Mingi looked ready to cry, but of course, he didn't let it show and kept his face in check.

“I don't need anything, and less from you.”

“You need to know your powers can be used to do good things Mingi. They might be impressive and destructive, but you're not. And that's what can turn them into something less dangerous than what you see in them.”

The other was speechless, taking in what Hongjoong was offering him. He could see hope light up again in the boy's eyes, and damn he was happy he did that. That kid deserved hope. Hongjoong was sure something could be done for him.

“What do you want from me ?” the question wasn't aggressive, unlike the first time he asked it, and the smaller cracked a tender smile.

“We kind of have a situation that requires a special team. A Team you'll be a part of.”

“Do I have a choice ?”

“You're cooperation can lighten how many years you have left in that thing. And I would like to say you _do_ have a choice, but I'm not the boss here.”

“No, you don't have a choice,” Amanda had came closer, umbrella no longer above her head when the rain had stopped. Mingi flashed his eyes lit with fire, but caught himself when he saw Hongjoong's face.

“Fine, I'll do it. But don't think one bit I want to help you bitch,” spat the red-haired between his teeth.

Amanda turned to Hongjoong as if he was responsible for this, and he only shrugged, hiding his proud smile. The last stop was a little peculiar, as they met with the last prisoner on the shooting range. He was still hands tied and head covered by a sheet, but the later item went away as soon as Amanda made a sign to one of the soldiers holding him. All the others had their guns aimed at him, ready to pull the trigger at any moment. Hongjoong knew about this last prisoner's performances, but he had to see it to believe it.

The boy he stopped in front of was way too taller than him for it to be acceptable, but he swallowed his pride and kept silent. His messy black hair had turned blond somehow, maybe he had dyed them before he was sent to jail as his dark roots were visible and had been for a while. His had big eyes filled with the same light he saw in Mingi's : a boy whom had to give up what he once was in order to protect the people around himself. Hongjoong knew about Yunho's little brother, abusive father, and how he became Deadshot. It didn't excuse the fifty kill he already had to his list though.

“So, how we gonna do this ? You hold the pistol and I shoot ? Or you shoot and I hold ? We're going to have a small issue though, this ain't really practical ?” a golden puppy with the bite of a rottweiler ... Hongjoong already liked his fire, but he'd need to tame it down a little if Yunho didn't want him to teach him the hard way.

“Loose tongue I see. You know we only need your hands and fingers. Meaning your tongue can be removed if you decided to be a little shit more than you already are. How about this way to do this ?” Hongjoong knew this was harsh, but if the other wanted to act like a wild dog, then he would be treated like one. He saw a flash of pain pass in his eyes, and understood he had cracked the man's wall. It took less time than he thought, but once again Hongjoong was no idiot : Mingi and this man weren't there because they deserved to unlike Wooyoung, Seonghwa and Yeosang. They were there because life had been a bitch.

“Untie him. I want to see what he can do,” ordered Hongjoong while stepping aside, arms crossed on his chest.

Griggs, the soldier from earlier was back again, and the blue-haired really didn't like the man. He eyed Hongjoong as if he was stupid and asked :

“You sure you wanna do that ?”

“Did I fucking stutter or something ? Un-fucking-tie him,” Hongjoong had taken his gun out, just in case, and he could see the prisoner already thinking of how he could steal it to him. Once he was free, he massaged his slightly bruised wrists, and turned to Amanda.

“I'm not a fucking animal. I won't perform for you.”

She did not answer and let Hongjoong show the other who was the one he should adress.

“Let us see what you can do, Jeong Yunho, right ? You never miss a shot, do you ? Prove it.”

Yungo clenched his teeth but did as asked, coming closer to the table on which were displayed a large amount of different shotguns and rifles, all waiting for him to use them. The munitions were in a line next to them, and he took a classic ten shots gun, loaded it, and put one bullet in the chamber.

Hongjoong raised brow, clearly asking _Now what ?_ , and he saw Yunho smile like an asshole before aiming his gun right at Griggs, the later cursing and all the soldiers coming closer, one of them even close enough to press the barrel of his own gun against Yunho's head.

“Alright everybody calm down !” ordered Hongjoong before losing the situation. His arms weren't crossed anymore but he was not in defensive mode either. “Griggs, tell your soldiers to stand down !”

“Stand down !”

Yunho mouthed something that made Griggs turned red from anger, but Hongjoong didn't care. This wasn't about the prison's director.

“I mean come on, don't you trust them ?” teased the young men, clearly having the time of his life. Griggs maybe was the complete dick head Hongjoong portrayed him as. “I pull the trigger nothing will happen.”

Amanda scooted closer to him behind his back, and almost in a whisper urged :

“Yes, pull the trigger. Why would we give you loaded weapons ? You're a hit-man, we're not stupid.”

“Do not pull the trigger she can't be trusted. I've known you your whole life here doesn't it mean anything hu ? You remember that time I got you a cookie ? That was nice wasn't it ?”

Yunho scoffed and aimed the gun at the sky, shooting, but clearly not expecting to really have a loaded gun in his hands, as he too jumped, as well as Griggs who cursed again.

“Shit ! That's !” he smelled the side of the gun, taking in the smell of powder and his eyes opened wide like a child at Christmas. Hongjoong was sure he had enjoyed shooting for fun before it became his job.

Once Yunho was sure everything he had in hand was real, he came close to the targets and taking position, started shooting the three human-looking one, always hitting the head, and that repeatedly.

He pressed the magazine release button and let the magazine drop on the floor, taking another one to load the gun a second time and empty it as fast. He then took another gun, repeated the process, and decided to change for a rifle, he also emptied twice, making three perfect holes, one in each target, right in the middle of the head.

Hongjoong was impressed, almost mouth agape. He had never seen that before. Even he was the best of his promotion, and at Yunho's place, he wouldn't have been as precise as that. It was truly amazing.

“Now you know what you'll have. But that's a two way things as usual, I don't work for free,” said Yunho turning to Hongjoong. The later scoffed, unimpressed by the fact he was very very tall, and said :

“You're in no position to ask for anything.”

“If that's your answer then I'm glad I wasn't talking to you, but to your boss, y'know that one right above you ? Yeah her,” he turned to Amanda. “My brother will have the life he deserves and you'll help me with that. Best schools, universities, everything he needs and want, clear ? You want me ? That's my price Miss !” the last sentence was yelled, Griggs already having his men on cuffing him back and throwing him in his cell.

Hongjoong turned to the woman and gave her a look she knew, and they both excused themselves, and left.

Once they were back in Seoul, Amanda took Hongjoong to her office, and the man spent an hour reading everyone's file over and over again until he knew them by heart.

“What the fuck Waller ?! These are criminals ! They have their own laws, morals, their own goals. They won't help with shit out there ! They're psychos, freaks ! This doesn't make any sens ... You need me and my team, I can build you one of twenty men in less than hours if needed, the best of the program, and we'll do everything you need if not more ! We don't need these poor excuses for human beings !”

He felt sorry because some of them didn't deserve his harsh words and he had made a sort of promise to Mingi, but this was too much ! How could he lead an entire squad that would only want one thing : kill him.

“I know exactly how to control them, and how to assure your protection,” said Amanda, not bothered by his outburst. Hongjoong saw how serious she was and deep inside it scared him. She was as much insane as them. Something must've went wrong, why else would she insist on having those specific guys.

“You're hiding something from me, us.”

“Leave the details to others, you only need to know you work for me.”

“That can change. One phone call and my superior will get me off the case.”

Amanda almost laugh and took her phone out, throwing it to Hongjoong. He caught it with one hand, doubts taking him.

“Go one, make your call. But if you leave, San won't. You're little protégé won't like the list of scientists I have ready for him if he goes rogue again.”

“You said you wouldn't do anything to him !”

“As long as you're here. But gone, what can you do to stop me ?”

Hongjoong clenched his fists and teeth hard, eyes darkening but mind settled. He didn't have a choice. This bitch knew all of these freaks' weakness, he should have known she'd have something for him too.

“People warned me about you.”

“As they should.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so what I have to say is mostly about the descriptions done about the prison. You can imagine it exactly like the one in the movie, especially Yeosang's, Mingi's and Yunho's situation, for Seonghwa I don't really have a comparison, and for Wooyoung you can search for Poison Ivy's cell in the video game Batman : Arkham Asylum, but minus the fact it's situated in a greenhouse, so it's the same cell, but with no plants at all.  
> For the rest of the story, I did a lot of research on South Korea's geography, to make sure every localisation is the good one, every city associated to a character is actually the boy's native town in real life, and for the whole thing around the Gods, I only pulled the name out, the rest is from my mind. Hope you enjoyed it, I'll see you next time for the second chapter ! (it probably will come at the end of the week ;) )


	3. Episode 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm working on chapter 6 currently, and I think this fiction will be relatively short. Like a dozen chapter or a little more, but like, not a super long one. It's mostyly because the chapters are very long as I arealy said it, and also as I jump into action straight away. I hope you won't mind that everything is happening after everything, like, we jump right into the story right in this chapter, and maybe the end of chapter 6 ad beginning of chapter 7 will be a little break, but not much. I'm thinkin about peculiar epilogues, but I won't say much about it now to not spoil. 
> 
> Anyway less talking more reading ! Here is chapter 2 ! Thank you for the kudos and the comments, I was thrilled to see so many enthusiast reactions and hope I can keep you like this for the whole fic x) hope you'll like this chapter too !
> 
> Enjoy !

Hongjoong cursed, making his way through military soldiers and nurses trying to help the civilians as best as possible. Another earth-quake had shaken Gwangju, way closer to Jeju Island than was the last one situated in Daegu. The situation was critical, and even if it had barely been a week since Hongjoong's visit at Ulleung, and after informing San about the whole situation, he didn't think he'd need this patchwork Team to be made so fast !

“Hyung !” Hongjoong stopped and turned to see San coming down from one of the military truck that was suppose to provide more medical supplies.

It was hell : they were fighting an enemy that was striking from an Island at the South of the country, and they felt useless.

“San ! Thank god, nothing happened during the way ?!”

“No I'm fine. We had to take in two sisters though, their house blew up after a gas pipe was pierced.”

The earth-quake had been violent. Half of the City was already gone, and as always in those cases, the government hesitated between moving the survivors in another town, or keeping them on spot and pray for a second wave to never come.

_It won't come if we deal with it now_ , thought Hongjoong, hiding his thoughts from San. The boy was a ray of sunshine and even if he knew Enchantress had built a rather solid barrier around the younger's heart and brain, there were some things he shouldn't see either way.

They didn't lose time and joined the military base in the middle of the evacuation point were the meeting point was suppose to happen. Hongjoong was of course entirely dressed for the fight, with a bullet-proof jacket, several pockets of his mesh and trellis and jacket were filled with ammunitions. He had a gun strapped on each thigh, a pocket knife in his boots and a very small blade under the heel of his rangers, he was holding a rifle and had another one strapped in the back.

San was way less disturbed. He didn't need much with Enchantress as his skill, and was only wearing a black tank top tugged in trellis, with black combat boots. He had a duffel bag in which he probably threw a warm jacket and a little food supply : Enchantress always made him chilly and hungry.

They arrived at the center of the base, and all the soldiers whom were scattered all around quickly focused on Hongjoong. Blue-haired weren't hard to spot, and he liked to play of it.

“Alright Team Oneus with me !” his personal team made of six boys stood behind him with the men and women he grew up with. Oneus was a six men team, one he pulled up together, teached, and led for their first mission and all of their missions ever since. They were sort of his protégé, like San. The Team all had aliases, and even Hongjoong used one in the most important missions. He wouldn't need one now, but the boys insisted to be acknowledge as their alias. The Team was made with Kim Youngjo (Ravn), Lee Gunmin (Seoho), Kim Geonhak (Leedo), Lee Keonhee (Keonhee), Yeo Hwanwoong (Hwanwoong) and Son Dongju (Xion).

Hongjoong saluted them with a nod in their direction, and then took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for what would come.

They joined behind Hongjoong at the right moment, a medical team as well as a striking team from Ulleung Island coming right in to escort the psychos. Yeosang arrived, all stripped in a wheelchair from ankles to forehead, including of course, thighs, wrists, forearms, arms, chest and chin. Seonghwa was in a sort of box that looked way too much like a fridge for it to be respectable, clouds of smoke spilling from the chains-locked door. Wooyoung was also kept in a sort of glass cube, chemical products visible with their pinkish shade, while Yunho and Mingi were also strapped but less than Yeosang.

Hongjoong let out a very long and already bored sigh, and eyes narrowed because of the sun, ordered :

“Unlock them.”

The “normal ones” were freed and stretched, Yeosang popping his back with a satisfied grin, already looking at everyone and probably writing their psychological profile. Mingi kept his distance from everyone, while Yunho reach a hand to no one in peculiar :

“Deadshot, nice to meet you. You don't have to like me as I don't like you back !”

Yeosang had a little smirk, amused by Yunho's behavior, while Mingi looked at him curiously. His eyes shined with fear but also a genuine interest in the taller's behavior when he clearly didn't enjoy playing the assholes either. The blond with blue and pink locks then stopped as if he hit a wall and looked up :

“What was that ? I should kill everyone and buy chicken ?”

Yeosang noticed how everyone was looking at him and smirked.

“Sorry, the voices y'know ,” he said, pointing at his head. He then waited a while, smirk not waving, before adding : “Alright you got me ! That's not what they really said ...”

“So,” cut Hongjoong feeling the headache storm in. “What do we have here ...”

Seonghwa's “fridge” and Wooyoung cage were open, and of course both had to step out of it like Diva's, Seonghwa especially, taking in the heat of sun on full face and body, and letting out a very small but still cold wave of power, making everyone shiver.

“Sorry,” he didn't sound sorry at all. “That's my way of stretching,” he shrugged with a brow raised and a smirk. Hongjoong let his head fall for a second, sighing once more. It would be long and difficult.

“Oh my god Purple !”

“Cupcake !”

The loud screeching of Yeosang and Wooyoung got everyone's attention, only to see the two males jumping in the arms of one another.

“It's been forever ! I'm so sad to see you ... I told you you couldn't trust this green mop !” scolded Wooyoung, taking in the sight of his old-time friend.

“But he's my puddin',” pouted Yeosang like a child, and Wooyoung squishing his cheeks didn't help. Everyone noticed how close they were to hug, literally no space in between from knee to chest, and Yeosang had his arms wrapped tightly around Wooyoung. Another mystery, as the lilac-haired was supposed to be mortal for every other human being. And he was.

“Well you're my cupcake and let me tell you that pudding aren't that great. Proof is, we meet here !”

“That's absolutely cute as hell,” cut in Seonghwa's cold voice, “but whom the hell are you and how do you know each other ?”

Without even caring for the parental tone, both started to giggle and talk at the same time :

“So you see it all started in school-”

“-then we went at prom night together because Yeosang's girlfriend was a bitch-”

“-first year of University I think ? Yeah Woo had a super intimate relationship with this guy-”

“-of course Yeo finished before me as the genius he is, and so we kind of lost each other from view-”

“I became the Joker's boyfriend not long after , so really it's my fault, but like I saw him on the news when he turned in Poison Wisteria and I was like _well how about seeing each other again it's been super long_ -”

“-we met in Seoul and destroyed half of the North side, it was super fun !”

A very loud silence followed, Seonghwa's smile widening the more they had talked before chuckling.

“I like you two already. Killer Frost,” he offered a hand and Yeosang took it, jumping from the cold.

“Jesus did your love life sucked that much to turn your heart as cold as that ?!” he half-joked.

“We can say that yes,” smirked Seonghwa. Wooyoung didn't shake his hand because well : plants freeze faster than humans, and Yunho laughed at the cold too, only leaving Mingi. Hongjoong caught the tall boy shooting a glance in his direction, as if waiting for his approval before remembering who he was. Heating his hand a little bit, he took Seonghwa's hand and both got surprised by how weird it felt : normal. It had been a long time since they hadn't felt normal touching someone else.

“Fire ?” asked Seonghwa, already knowing the answer.

“Ice ?” answered Mingi with a shy smile. Seonghwa shot him a maternal smile and they dropped hand.

Hongjoong didn't know if he wanted to feel relieved or worried to see them all fraternize with each other.

“Enough hugs and kissed, Yeosang how happens you don't die at Wooyoung's touch ?” he asked, stepping forwards.

Yeosang tilted his head, and Hongjoong distinctly heard a few soldiers swallowing noisily. He and Wooyoung would be terrible to keep the team focused, especially if those pigs decided to let their dick take the command. Fortunately Hongjoong could count on Oneus.

“He kissed me. To nullify any bad effects on me. But I'm the only one so far that can touch him,” smiled the blond, very proud.

“A kiss should have been lethal too,” pointed out the Colonel.

“If I want it to be then yes,” snapped Wooyoung, bringing Yeosang closer to him. “Apart from Yeosang, nothing human can touch me and I don't want anyone else to touch me.”

“Nothing human mh ?” they all looked behind Hongjoong's shoulder to see San looking at the scene with curiosity. He eyed his hyung whom nodded, and he got closer to the hellish duo. “I'm curious to see if She resists to you.”

“Who ?” asked Wooyoung, eyes narrowing.

“San,” whispered Hongjoong. “Are you sure it's a good idea ? You don't know-”

“I do, I just asked Her.”

Wooyoung looked at San curiously, the boy closing his eyes and whispering some words in an unknown language before saying clearly :

“ _Enchantress_.”

A hand came to hold the one hanging at his side, and when his fingers closed around it, a little black smoke erupted from San's body the same way cold did from Seongwa's, and they met with someone else entirely. A part from his now completely raven hair and very green eyes, it was the same face and shape of body, but his skin had taken a dirty gray, and his clothes had changes. He was wearing a silk light green shirt, underneath a sort of metallic corset that closed tight around his waist and torso and went up on his shoulders. He had ripped and lose pants, with a black clothes hanging around his hips, knot on his left side. His arms bore weird symbols, as well as his cheeks, chin and neck. He had around his face a silver ornament that rested on the top of his head but curled behind his ears to finish on each side of his jaw, a big crescent on top of it. A hood hanged on his back, and he was feet naked, them and his hands now black.

“Meet Enchantress, she'll be a sort of bridge between me and you, half what you are, half what I am. She is on our side, so don't try to make Her take full control of San's body it won't work. They made a deal and She doesn't intend to break it. At any moment San can fight back and rip the control of his body from Her grip if necessary,” Hongjoong turned to Seonghwa, not surprised to see the platinum-haired on the defensive since he started to talk. “Some of you are already familiar with this I am sure,” he didn't stop on Seonghwa, and the later let out a discreet sight of relief.

He smirked right after. Hongjoong seemed to forget whom he was dealing with, and Seonghwa would have great pleasure reminding him.

For now, he watched as Enchantress reached fearlessly to Wooyoung's hand, waiting for the man to react. As always when letting Enchantress out, San wasn't sleeping like She did, no, he was like in a theater looking at a movie. And now, he watched with unbiased eyes how Wooyoung didn't give two shits about killing him and took Enchantress' hand without a doubt.

_Well shit_ , he thought, but then saw the surprise in the lilac-haired's face, as well as mistrust. He let go of San's hand as if he had been burned and stepped back.

“What are you ?” ouch. San knew it wasn't directed at him but it still hurt.

_Thank you Enchantress, I'd like to have my body back now please._

The second it was said it was done. San really loved the relationship he had managed to build with Her, and how they could peacefully live together.

San ignored Wooyoung's shock and turned to the other, bending his uper body to salute.

“And I'm Choi San, Enchantress' vessel. She's a witch from another dimension, She lived through thousands of earths and has great powers,” San sticked his eyes in Wooyoung, keeping the eye contact until the lilac-haired broke it.

“Here's what's going to happen,” Hongjoong decided playtime was over and serious business needed to start. “From now on your work for Amanda Waller, and by extension, for me. You probably remember something was implanted in your napes ? Nano bombs. Small, but effective. Meaning that any attempt to escape, disobey me, kill one of your allies, will end up with your head exploding like a watermelon. Oh, and don't be too much pains in the asses either. If you irritate or vex me or San, I will press the button.”

Yeosang raised a hand and Wooyoung eyed him curiously :

“I am someone very vexing and savage by nature, just wanted to let you know.”

“He totally is,” nodded Wooyoung.

“I do not give two shits about that.”

They both pouted, and Seonghwa chuckled, sitting on what was Yunho's chair and was now a frozen furniture.

“So here's the deal : we're going somewhere entirely fucked up, and more than dangerous. We need to fix the situation there before it expends to the whole Country. That's probably going to get you hurt and maybe killed, until then, you're my team, and I never let my Teams die,” he didn't know why he had said that, but he felt like it was necessary. What came to him was _problem_ , but it didn't sound right. Yeah, there well hella annoying and Yeosang and Woyoung would drive him crazy, but they weren't that bad.

For now.

“Your clothes, weapons, everything you can need is over there,” he pointed to five metallic chests. “Get ready. We're going in fifteen.”

Everyone scattered, soldiers included, except Seonghwa. The boy had watched Hongjoong during his whole talk and didn't mind San standing close to him to raise from his seat.

“Hey sweetheart~,” he sang, feeling satisfied when Hongjoong froze. And he hadn't used his powers yet.

“First, I told you to not call me that. For you it's Kim. Second, go change Park.”

“And I told you to not call me that, see two can play that game. Will you give up my name ?”

“I won't call you Killer Frost.”

Seonghwa's mood dropped with his face.

“That's my name, so that's how you'll call me.”

“I won't call you something you're not. Right now you're Park Seonghwa,” Hongjoong finally turned and wasn't even surprised to see the boy had turned icy blue eyes and white hair. He smiled and said : “Now I can call you Killer Frost. Go change,” it was an order and not knowing what else to do, Seonghwa still brought fingers to Hongjoong's cheek, caressing it lightly while saying :

“You should work on your pep talk. That was terrible,” his fingers left a cold feeling deep within Hongjoong, and it's only after rubbing it that he also felt the thin layer of ice, yelping when the cold finally bit his skin.

“You okay there hyung ?” San snickered behind him, and Hongjoong cursed his friend for being so attentive to everything around him.

“Shut up San. Don't think I didn't notice your roll of muscles in front of Wysteria,” bit back Hongjoong, enjoying how San turned a nice shade of pink and looked somewhere else, stuttering incomprehensible words.

Wooyoung had shrieked another one of his loud scream when he opened the chest with his clothes, but really no one knew why as it was filled with very few things, and definitely no weapon. He took out of it a black shirt that sticked to him like a second skin, plants on his wrists already swirling around to rip it at a few places and invade the inside. He had only closed two buttons, not hiding his chest or tummy, and made a knot with was remained. His underwear stayed on too, entirely covered in large leaves, and his feet stayed naked, Wooyoung grimaced when feeling the covered ground, clearly not enjoying the bitumen. It was hypnotic seeing plant stems slithering on his skin to wrapped themselves around his thighs, arms, neck and finishing their road by passing behind his ears and literally sinking into his skin on his temples. His closed eyes opened and they sparkled with a new light of neon green, a sign Wooyoung had left Poison Wisteria take the control. Unlike Seonghwa and San though, Wisteria was a part of himself and not someone else entirely.

San saw a very small hibiscus syriacus bloomed behind Wooyoung's right ear, ornamenting his lilac hair beautifully.

Yeosang was torn between difficult choices, chest filled with way too much clothes for one person. He eyes all his old items, his classical and first black and red costume, the one with a white nurse dress when he had to break the Joker from Arkham Asylum, then the one made entirely of leather with the corset he liked so much, his roller derby outfit, and much more ... His hair were died either entirely half black or red, or only the tips. But now, he had changed to pink and blue, and the Joker had agreed he needed a fresh look. Unfortunately he didn't have the time to try on the new outfit he had for the occasion, having being caught first.

His heart clenched slightly when he grabbed the red and blue leather jacket from the chest, reading the golden letters on the back saying _Property of Joker_. The jacket also had golden strings on the sleeves and white ones on the collars. He could already here Wooyoung disapprove but he didn't care.

Yeosang had understood a long time ago he was no better than the people he once wanted to help. He had diagnosed himself with “classical abusive codependency”, and yet ... yet he didn't want to go anywhere else. Perhaps it was because he knew Joker wouldn't let him, perhaps because he wouldn't let himself be far from his puddin', or maybe he just waited for an exit door. But who was he kidding. He was Kangley Quinn, no one would come closer to him, and he didn't really let them anyway.

He shook his head and bowed down to fish the rest of his clothes, deciding the situation was perfect to either escape his abusive relationship, or escape from this hell and go back to his abusive relationship.

_Keep going and you'll go lunatic darlin'_

He smirked when he pulled out his _Daddy's Little Chicken_ shirt out of the chest, as well as very tight white ripped jeans and very short black and blue shorts. He'd definitely wear those fishnet thighs he could see next to those white boots white enough heels to make him 5cm taller, but not bother him.

“Woo ! Long or short ?” Wooyoung didn't even check on what Yeosang was asking before answering short, and the blond's smirk grew. He didn't have the best ass once could have - no Wooyoung had it - but these shorts always had their little effects. He pulled the whole outfit together, taking a deep breath when he was ready, feeling like himself again in them. He put on golden spiked bracelets, one hand was covered with a fingerless black glove, and he was glad to lighten the die in his hair.

He was surprised to see his makeup palette between his guns and different bladed weapons, but took it while jumping like a little rabbit and started to cover his eyes. He put blue eyeshadow on his left side, careful to cover his birthmark. He felt another sting he ignored : he had always been proud of this birthmark, but Joker had always hated it and forced Yeosang to hide it with makeup.

He covered his right side with pink eyeshadow, underlined his sharp blue eyes with black liner on the lower eyelid, and colored his lips with his cherry chapstick. On his neck rested the heavy weight of his PUDDIN choker, and he took his baseball bat, swinging it around to test it, grinning when it worked exactly like he wanted it too.

“Easy there, you're going to knock someone out,” laughed Wooyoung.

He eyed Yeosang and as predicted by the later, his best friend frowned.

“You look like a porcelain doll.”

“You call me that since middle school ...”

“You weren't showing off in middle school. Now you walk around dressed and dolled up like that only to show your boyfriend's power and money,” Wooyoung was really the only one that could talk to Yeosang like that without ending dead, and somehow he was glad he could meet with his friend again. Wooyoung was always good for/to him.

“I enjoy it too,” he said, putting on his shoulder holster and loaded his flashy white guns, making the cylinder covered with the words _hate_ and _love_ click.

Wooyoung didn't want to say Yeosang enjoyed it when it was for himself, knowing it was neither the right place nor time. Instead, they kept talking about how they'd try to escape despite the nano bombs into their neck, looking at the three other villains around them.

Mingi looked rather shy changing in front of the soldiers - not that all of them were looking - while Yunho didn't care and Seonghwa seemed to put on a show.

He could deny all he want but he _did_ strip-teased when he took his clothes off, pulling out an all leather outfit Wooyoung whistled at.

“He's gorgeous don't you think ?” he whispered to Yeosang.

The blond had a corner smile but rolled his eyes, amused :

“You're not the only one with a love issue Woo, you might not know but he became Killer Frost because of a man he loved. That still makes you a common point though,” he laughed, aiming his gun at nothing to test its weight in his hand.

“What ? The _I let myself be abused by my ex and he genetically modified my DNA_? Great common point,” snickered the lilac-haired.

“He wasn't dating the guy, he only loved him.”

Wooyoung looked bitter talking about it again, as even if he had accepted what he was now, he still couldn't swallow _who_ did it to him. He didn't answer and watched as Hongjoong tried hard to not stare at Seonghwa changing and internally laughed. If they had to save the country together things weren't starting too well.

Seonghwa put on tight black pants with a thick black strap belt around his waist, a tight dark blue sleeveless top, the bottom of it being black and the chest decorated with a stylish snowflake, the collar having a little V cut. The navy gloves he was wearing only took around his thumbs, and went all the way to the top of his arms, stopping right before the shoulder, leaving them naked as the coat he put on last was also sleeveless, and Wooyoung nodded in approval. The very long coat had an original collar, very tight around his chest and waist, and moving smoothly around his long legs. It wasn't touching the ground, too problematic, but was reaching a little above his ankles, hidden behind black boots with a little heel. He styled his hair to pull them on the left, a few platinum locks falling in front of the bluish circles that were his eyes. He looked beautiful. He and Yeosang were definitely the visuals of the group, and if both looked ethereal, Seonghwa's beauty was as soft as Wooyoung's friend's but differently.

Turning to look back at Hongjoong, he could definitely tell the Colonel would disagree with him and point out Seonghwa as better looking, but his landed on San. San with sharp fox eyes, blood red locks hiding in the black of his hair, San and his rough beauty unlike Yeosang's doll one.

“Hey, you dropped that,” Yunho's voice was gentle and low when he called Mingi, but the boy still jumped out of his skin. This was ridiculous, he was as dangerous if not more as any of them and he acted like a scared kitten. Yunho didn't say anything and only gave him a warm smile, turning Mingi's inside to mush. He took the piece of paper handed by the golden boy, and felt his hand shake around it. It was an old family picture back to when he was 15, his sister and parents all looking happy around him for his birthday. It was a hot day in August, and they had decided to go to the beach to celebrate. It was the only thing Mingi had left from his house. The picture wasn't old, but the edges were crumbling slightly, black, as if flames had licked it before retreating.

“Thank you,” Mingi had a knot in his throat and cleared it before showing his back to Yuno, refusing to let the other see him so vulnerable.

He finished putting his red tank top, and took the old and damaged black denim jacket he had since high school, on the back of which he and his friends had sewed the symbol of their street gang, with the letters _FIX ON_ written above it _._ It was the only thing he had left from them too.

He put the jacket on before tugging his top into his black jeans, ripped at the knees, and black timberland he didn't thought would survive the trip.

“Nice shoes, I bought a pair to my brother for his birthday last year,” Mingi lifted his head from his place on the ground where he was tying his shoes to see Yunho not looking directly at him but also at a picture of a younger boy, who shared his 'boy-next-door' vibe and his puppy eyes. The rest of their faces was entirely different, and Mingi guessed one of them took more after their father and the other after their mother.

Yunho was also dressed into a heavy red suit, from his neck to his wrists and ankled, heavy metal pieces for reinforcements on his shoulders, forearms, shins and the side of his thighs. His knees and elbows bore the same protection someone doing freestyle would, and he had a thick belt holding one gun on his lower back and one on each hip. He, of course, also had one strapped at his thigh, and had two wrist-mounted guns. Mingi noticed the short and long distance sniper gun that was lying on his chest, its and the guns' munitions stored in the pockets hanging a little everywhere on his body if he was correct.

Standing up Mingi asked : “How old is he ?”

Yunho turned, seeming a little surprised to have an answer, but didn't lose his smile.

“He'll turn 17 in a few days. I wanted to be there for him, and I hope he's safe ...”

“Where do you live ?”

Yunho had a hard swallow before looking up and around them.

“Here. I'm back home.”

Mingi's eyes widened before he got his features under check, but he still felt sorry for him. Yunho still had someone to lose, he wasn't' like the rest of them whom didn't care or didn't have anyone left.

“I'm sure he is. And we'll make sure he stays safe.”

Yunho turned to him and for a few seconds they held contact, before he broke into another smile, Mingi following shyly after.

The three others got closer to them, Seonghwa stretching his fingers and wrists, Yeosang doing literal gym figures in the middle of the yard.

“He was always flexible,” filled in Wooyoung, still a little off because he couldn't feel or call any plants to him. “It goes with his job well too ...”

Yeosang did a few cartwheel and landed right in front of Yunho, the taller looking up from his white hood.

“What is it ?” asked Yeosang, seeing how hesitating and disturbed Yunho looked at the thing in his hands.

“Every time I put this one someone dies.”

“And ?” a perfectly well brushed brow lifted.

“I don't enjoy putting it on that much,” shrugged the older.

Yeosang narrowed his eyes, focusing on every aspect Yunho was showing : his tensed shoulder, unfocused eyes, shaking hands, fast breath, palm sweaty.

“You're scared,” he blurted out. Yunho snapped his head to him, eyes dark.

“Fuck you.”

“I'm right.”

“No you're not, you don't know shit about me.”

“I know enough, you're nervous and scared. You don't even assume why you decided to kill people in the first place.”

“You know nothing,” Yunho's teeth were clenched and his knuckles white from their grip on his hood.

Wooyoung came from behind and put his hands on Yeosang's shoulders.

“Stop analyzing people, especially the ones who could kill you.”

“He won't. He's a coward.”

Yunho darted forwards, and in a second had his gun out and pressing on Yeosang's forehead, the blond barely moving when he had taken his gun out too just as fast, both boys aiming at each other.

“Kim !” called one of the soldiers around them alarmed.

“Shit ! Hey cut it out ! Both of you !” Hongjoong toddled to them but Yeosang wanted to play and in a very fast and soft movement, took Yunho's wrist in his hand, pushed it away from his face and moved his other hand too so he'd be able to scoot closer to Yunho, each other's arm now on their shoulder, and lifted his knee into his stomach. He didn't show the pain he felt when the bone hit something rather hard, and understood Yunho had bulletproof plaques under his suit.

Before either of them could do more they felt the temperature drop and heard ice cracking, snapping their head just in time to see they needed to let go and jumped backwards, Yunho's feet and Yeosang's bat still caught in the ice wall Seonghwa had thrown at them.

His eyes flashed white, only a very thin blue line outlining his irises, and his hair were whiter than the smoke coming out of his mouth.

“Now kids, behave, we don't want to get our heads blown up now, do we ?” his voice surprised them all except Hongjoong whom already knew the little veil on Seonghwa's voice was from Killer Frost.

Every armed soldier had their gun pointed at all of them, and Wooyoung and Mingi just looked at each other, knowing they'd need to quiet things down. The lilac-haired shot Seonghwa a dirty look, thanking him for pulling Yeosang and Yunho apart but not really happy that his best friend almost ended in ice cream, and went to help the blond up. Mingi did the same with Yunho, the taller boy almost ripping his arm from the red-haired afterwards.

“I'm fine,” he spit, not seeing the hurt flash in the other's eyes.

“Try that again Snow-White and I'll blow your head off,” warned Yeosang pissed.

“Try that again Blondy-lock and you'll blow all our heads off,” snapped back Seonghwa, both men coming so close to each other they could almost touch foreheads. Wooyoung squeezed between them and forced Yeosang to retreat.

“Alright easy there, don't give him orders but it won't happen again,” said the lilac-haired, using his diplomatic skills.

“None of this will happen ever again. You work together ! If any of you use their powers or ability before they get the permission too,” Hongjoong's threat got all their heads to turn to him, and they all saw the small screen on his forearm with all their faces and what was clearly an activation button for what might be inside of their neck. “Did I made myself clear ?!” he hated that he had to use this against them.

No one answered but they all got his point, Seonghwa slowly coming back on Killer Frost.

Everything was settled down and they were all directed to a military chopper, two more coming with them. They walked with Hongjoong and San in front of them, Seonghwa alone behind, Yeosang and Wooyoung holding hands and Yunho and Mingi behind them closing the little group. Of course, Oneus was on each side and behind them, but the soldiers kept their distance.

“The boss wants a talk with y'all,” said Hongjoong before they got in the chopper, taking the pad handed by San and showing it to the team.

“For those of you who don't know me officially, I'm Amanda Waller,” Mingi and Yunho cringed, the younger showing his middle finger to the woman. “There's an active terrorist event on Jeju Island.”

“Jeju Island ?” whispered Yeosang to Wooyoung. “Isn't it like, a tourists area ? No one lives there ...”

Wooyoung frowned, understanding what he meant.

“That is weird indeed. But it's one of the rare natural place in South Korea that hasn't died under the foolish dreams of men, I'm not complaining.”

“Wait until we get there,” the blond was back. The fact a terrorist attack was taking place there was concerning, as even them didn't see the point in attacking an Island with no one living on it. Waller kept going :

“I need you to get on the Island, recuse team HVT one, and get them to safety.”

Seonghwa blinked a few times and said : “I'm sorry are we supposed to say yes like idiots and not understanding a single thing of what you said ?”

“HVT one holds the only two persons you need to worry about. If they die, you die. Complete the mission you get time off your prison sentence.”

Yunho perked up at that, all of them did, but he most particularly.

“Fail the mission you die. Don't even think of taking it on Colonel Kim, I got the control to the nano bombs in your neck and I will kill all of you one by one if anything happens to him.”

The screen went entirely black and they all looked at one another.

“Better ?” Hongjoong asked Seonghwa.

“What ?”

“The pep talk.”

“Compared to your little attempt of a threat, she nailed it.”

Hongjoong didn't even react and turned around, before Mingi's voice stopped him :

“That's why you chose us, isn't it ? You wanted a Team no one would miss if we went to disappear. You wanted us because you wanted a _Suicide Squad_.”

Mingi was good at making Hongjoong feel guilty. Even San saw that Mingi was different from the rest of the bad guys, and his brows raised in sympathy for him.

“I chose you because I believe some of you can do good. I believe some of you deserve a second chance.”

“And if we don't give two shits about your second chance ?” said Wooyoung, Yeosang nodding behind him.

“Then at least for once in your life you would've done something good.”

“I spent my entire teenage in the streets trying to save a planet your bosses destroy. Don't tell me I can do good once when it's what turned me bad.”

Wooyoung passed him and entered the chopper without looking back, followed by the rest of the team. It was clumsy and Hongjoong bit his tongue knowing he should have think more about talking, but he wasn't used to be around persons like this. He grew surrounded by men and women with the same way to think and see things as he, and even if it was clear for him everyone had different life choices and opinion, when you were trained to only see one way, it was hard accepting others.

They all sat down and put their belts on, Seonghwa, Yunho, Mingi on the left side, Wooyoung, Yeosang, San and Hongjoong on the other. Oneus was also with them on board, responsible of piloting the chopper. Right when the machine started they all saw a shape discernible from afar, making its way to them

“The fuck is that ?” asked Yunho, not even blinking when the heavy footsteps touched the metallic door of the plane even after they took off, door closing behind them.

A young man, almost as tall as Yeosang appeared, coconut black hair, a thick band of black painted on his eyes probably to hide his identity. He was wearing a black tight tank top, cargo black pants and combat boots, hands gloved with leather and a short leather jacket on his shoulders. He only had one gun strapped at his thigh, and an apple in one hand.

“Sorry, I'm late,” he said, voice sweet when he spoke. “I had other business to attend to.”

“We thought we'd need to leave without you,” smiled Hongjoong.

The newcomer looked at everyone one by one, eyes staying barely a little longer on Yeosang, the later finding him really interesting.

“This is Black Dragon. He'll assist me in the mission, and will keep you in check,” introduced the Colonel.

“We don't need a schooler thank you very much,” scoffed Seonghwa.

“His a meta-human like most of you. His voice can reach ultra-sounds and he can make you deaf before you even asked how. He also manipulated sound as his will, which means that if he wants to make a whole building explode, he will,” stated Hongjoong with a proud smile.

He gestured to Black Dragon to sit in front of him, next to Seonghwa, and the youngest bowed to San.

“Hey cousin.”

“Hey, how's Nowongu ?” asked San.

“As shitty as here.”

Yeosang was silently looking at both of them and Wooyoung noticed how interested his friend look. Not in the _crush_ type, he was unfortunately way too enamored with the Joker, but Yeosang always had this thing, even before studying psychology. It had started in High School, and every year the blond would find _the_ guy or girl he would need to know everything about (mentally) and crack. It generally meant those people were either lonely, or very mysterious and secret, and Yeosang never liked to not be able to know someone's mental board right away. That was the main reason why Yeosang only counted Wooyoung as his friend. The later had only laughed very loudly when the blond had blurted to him his whole psycho-analysis of him, while everyone else kind of got angry, or shameful, or something else that would get Yeosang into trouble.

It looked like this time, Black Dragon was this person.

“Why the name tag ?” asked Wooyoung.

“Aren't you Poison Wisteria ?” replied the young boy unbothered.

“Everyone knows my real name. And I don't wear a mask,” the smile Wooyoung cracked was a clear sign he meant more than just the black paint over the others face.

“Well I started not long ago. So I have to protect my identity. Like every other good guy does.”

“Ah, a young hero ? That's going to be fun,” smiled Seonghwa.

“Don't think I'm impressed by either of you.”

“Clearly you don't have any survival instincts.”

“Clearly,” only replied Dragon before focusing on his apple. He took his fingers off and took the apple weirdly, everyone going through different surprised when it broke in perfect half a second later. Mingi even gasped and Yunho's eyes widened, reminding everyone of a golden retriever puppy. Even Seonghwa's brows had rose in surprise, while Wooyoung was mouth agape.

“How old are you ?” asked Yeosang, now the one unbothered.

“Can't tell.”

“You're younger than all of us,” kept going the blond

“Indeed.”

It only took a second for the sociopath to understand :

“You're Chinese zodiac sign is Dragon, isn't it ?”

Jongho shot Yeosang a glance he didn't manage to read before focusing on his apple again, and Wooyoung almost chuckled upon seeing his friend fidgeting.

“You won't crack this one,” he whispered to him.

“I will.”

“You won't, even if he gives you his name.”

“It's not about the name.”

“I know,” sighed the lilac-haired, closing his eyes. He had always hated taking the plane, even before turning into a living killing plant, but becoming Poison Wisteria only made things worst, as his body was definitely not made for those type of experience anymore.

The rest of the trip was relatively quiet, most of them sleeping like Wooyoung and San, others lost in thoughts like Yunho and Hongjoong, the rest talking quietly like Seonghwa and Black Dragon, the later feeling Yeosang's heavy gaze on himself, Mingi also being in his own little world.

Seonghwa and Dragon were only talking about the mission, nothing too fancy or weird for a bad guy and a good guy that had to work together, and Yeosang took it as an opportunity to analyse every facial expression and body language of the younger. Even when Seonghwa tried to scare him by talking about the incoming violent fights, Dragon didn't seem bothered or disturbed, didn't seem to think twice about this mission. Being so fearless was something he had only seen in one bad guy, and of what was know of him, he didn't have a family anymore.

It was true that San had called him cousin when he saw Dragon arrive, but it could also be a nickname between them, as boys usually did when they had the name family name. Which meant Dragon was a Choi. That Yeosang was sure of.

Looking through the window he saw Jeju Island from afar, and his eyes widened upon noticing how it was definitely _not_ a simple terrorist attack they had to fight.

“Woo, Wooyoung,” he said waking the other up.

That caught everyone's attention and they all looked through the windows closest to them, hearts missing a few beats when they saw the Hallasan awake and spitting a very thick black cloud of smoke, lava threatening to spill like tea from a teacup.

“The fuck is that Kim ?” roared Seonghwa, eyes white.

“Just a bomb,” he said, but his eyes weren't looking either at them nor at the mess outside.

“The Island is fucking shaking from roots to top, the volcano has awakened and oh my god, is that a woman ?!” Wooyoung gasped and soon after they all could see the precise shape of a very tall (like building tall) and not human woman. She eyed all the military choppers one by one, but her mind settled on the one they were all in.

“What the fuck ...” whispered San, he too not entirely aware about all of this.

“Who is she ?! How come she's the size of a building ?!” asked Yunho clearly angry.

“She's the Goddess of Jeju Island, Halmang.”

There was a quick silence during which they all stared at Hongjoong as if he was the crazy one, and Seonghwa had a joyless laugh.

“And they say we're the freaks ...”

“If it's a joke Kim I swear to god-” started Yunho.

“No, no he's right, it's Her. She's been awakened too,” all turned to Wooyoung, the lilac-haired's eyes now being a very flashy green. “I can feel it, the closer we're getting from the Island the closer I can feel it's heart, it's really Her !”

Hongjoong's lips pressed in a thin line, and he hesitated between being relief for having Wooyoung supporting him with that, or curse because it meant everything they had wanted to keep from them would come out loud.

“How the hell is She here ?! Aren't Gods and Goddesses suppose to be myths ? And if not at least sleeping ?!” Mingi wasn't very good in everything that was cultural, better at math than literature, so really, none of this was making any sens. Fortunately, it seemed that even San, Yunho and Jongho whom seemed to be the only not scientists of the squad didn't understand shit either.

“Hongjoong what the hell is going on ?!” asked San, really fucking scared right now because fuck, the chopper was not flying straight anymore.

Before the Colonel could try to say anything, Halmang had them in her radars and started weird movements, Her voice, dark and loud and cavernous and Wooyoung only understood one word that had all the leaves on his body shook in fear. Dalnim. The Goddess of the Moon. They were almost close to the sunset, right above the Korea Strait, and the fucking Goddess of the Moon was awakening from the water, as tall if not more than Halmang, and she had already taken down the first chopper.

“Well this is going to be fun,” said Yeosang grinning.

His definition of fun was very different than all the other ones, because none of them thought of _fun_ when Dalnim targeted them and started a fucking storm right here and now, throwing huge arms of water at them as if it was nothing. The chopper started going crazy, and all of them were glad they were strapped to their seats.

“If we don't do something now we're going to crash !” screamed Wooyoung.

“Then do something !” replied Yunho as panicked.

“How ?! Plants don't grow in the middle of the sky !”

“For fuck's sake shut up all of you !” snapped Seonghwa, fingers having a hard time unbuckling himself.

“What are you doing Park ?!” asked Hongjoong.

“Saving our asses, so don't blow my head up sweetheart !”

Yeosang laughed at that, really to absorbed in his fun to see the real issue, Wooyoung and Black Dragon cursed, and San only muttered something before Enchantress appeared.

“Hey no no !” denied Hongjoong panicked.

“I have to help,” San was very much still here but the Colonel wasn't ready to let him go.

He had though, because Enchantress didn't ask of permission and disappeared as if swallowed by a black hole, the loud thump they heard on the top of the roof being enough for them to know where he was. Seonghwa had opened the chopper's door, earning a new round of screams and protestations when the wind stormed in, and he was standing tall and proud, his own feet frozen to the floor to make sure he wouldn't fell.

“I need to face the storm !” he yelled behind his shoulder, and Hongjoong turned to one of his own team.

“Hwanwoong ! Go tell Ravn and Keonhee to turn the chopper's ass to the Island !”

The blond boy hurried and soon, they were being re-directed, Seonghwa smirking when the Goddess saw him and tried to throw another arm of water at him. But he was ready, and his hair turned entirely white, eyes an icy blue, before throwing the ice he had been channeling in his hands towards the arm, freezing it entirely. More water was being thrown at it broke it but Seonghwa was still able to fight back against Dalnim, and Mingi was impressed. He wondered if he would be as powerful as Killer Frost if he only let himself use his powers, if he could ever be as confident as all of them with their abilities, or if he was cursed to be scared of himself for the rest of his life.

Hongjoong was impressed too, but not for the same reason. Seonghwa had surely made a fuss about working with them, but he was now fighting with all he had to protect them. Sure it also meant protecting his own ass, but he knew it was not like that, not for the older.

Ravn seemed to lose control of the chopper once, because they started going in circles while falling, a black smoke following them.

Dalnim had managed to destroy one of their propeller, and needless to say they were now in a free fall.

“Shit !” cursed Seonghwa, forced to unfroze his feet and do something that almost got Hongjoong a cardiac arrest : grab a handle near the _opened_ door of the chopper, and throw half his body through it, disappearing form their view except the hand that kept him inside.

They could see his knuckles turning white from grabbing, before they heard his voice calling for San :

“Hey Enchantress ! Get me up there before we die !”

They saw his hand being covered by San's black and gray one, and they knew both men were now of the roof.

Seonghwa knew the only way things could go at least a little better was to brace their fall, and that started by freezing the missing part of the propeller, replacing it with one made from the purest ice. It was incredible how sharp and smooth was his sculpture, and it only strengthened how in control Seonghwa was of his powers.

The Enchantress didn't need to be told what to do, and San's eyes closed, hands palms facing the sky at his side. Seonghwa saw the wind swirl around them and how the witch fought for its control on Dalnim. The Goddess was clearly unhappy about it, and the platinum-haired cursed when he had to stabilise himself on the roof of a crashing chopper in order to protect San and help him save them. He eyed the sea and saw where the Goddess' body was coming from, and he went on full Killer Frost mode, a light smoke coming out of his body and freezing the metal around his feet.

What he didn't know was that it went through the carcass of the apparel, and Wooyoung rose his head to see ice on the roof.

“Oh hell no !” He would definitely not survive a chopper crash but he wouldn't survive being frozen alive either.

Seonghwa let out a violent ice stream on the sea, more powerful by the second and Danim didn't really liked that. She yelled and Her scream could've pierced their ears with how loud it was, Black Dragon swearing it could compete with his own chant.

Seonghwa was startled when San moved the chopper violently, and he lost his balance, sliding on the roof, leaving an ice trail behind him to slow down his own fall.

“Fuck Enchantress !”

But San couldn't focus on two things at the same time, so Seonghwa made the decision to drop entirely, hoping he'd be able to work something out : and he did. Instantly after his two hands were freed, he froze the water coming at him as cold and deep as he could, using it to build a slide on which he moved effortlessly. From his place on top of the chopper San only glanced at him, but he was impressed.

“Frost is doing fucking surf !” said Mingi.

The chopper was inclined such a way that Yunho, Mingi and Black Dragon had a view on what Seonghwa was doing now that he was closer to the sea.

“What ?!” asked Hongjoong. “He dropped ?!”

“He fucking did !”

“He is running away ?!”

“No ! He's trying to freeze down the lady !” Yunho was eyes wide and talking without ripping them off Seonghwa's sight. He was amazing going around the Goddess like that, freezing every wave and drop of water that even tried to come his way. He wondered if Frost had an endless asset of power with how he seemed to not get tired.

But it had been a few months since Seonghwa could use his powers that freely and that much, and he _was_ getting tired. He refused to let it show though, keeping his game of circling around the Goddess in ice slide, San trying to gently laid the chopper down on the Island the best he could.

He only had to keep Dalnim's attention away for a few more seconds, and then he'd be safe to go.

Fortunately, they weren't far from Jeju City, and San was making them come down fast. Seonghwa knew it was now or never, and he surrounded himself with a sort of armor from head to toe, and dipped right when a tall wave crashed onto his platform, destroying it completely. Now that he was underwater, everything seemed quieter. No noise, no wind, the sea was calm from under. But he had to be careful : Dalnim had probably seen him dip and he needed to move fast. He created a bubble around himself and started swimming towards where he had noticed the Goddess' body start point, and was barely surprised to see a heavy sacrificial tablet baring weird symbols, very different from the ones San had one his body when being Enchantress but actually pretty similar. It was obvious Enchantress and the Korean Gods and Goddesses came from different universes, but magic is never entirely different.

Feeling his lungs starting to protest from the lack of air, Seonghwa decided enough was enough and swam towards the tablet. It was engraved in the stone under the Island, but if he wanted to make sure they wouldn't have any problem with the Moon Goddess anymore, he needed to make sure She couldn't be summoned anymore. Destroying the tablet wouldn't kill her - it's never _that_ easy to kill a god - but it would cut out Her only portal from Her world to theirs.

Seonghwa laid his two hands, palms flat on the stone, and immediately it begun to froze. He knew he'd need a high quantity of ice if he wanted to be able to break it, so he made sure the ice was not spreading too much around but focusing on the tablet and invading as much space as it could.

It was underwater, meaning the stone had already been damaged by the waves and was starting to crumble, making it easier for the water and so the ice to infiltrate it. It was soon as iced as it could, and Seonghwa moved away a little bit before creating a hammer, and used it to wreck the tablet. He had to hit three times, but then everything exploded with a blinding white light and he was pushed away by the shock wave it caused underwater.

Back on the Island, San had managed to lay the chopper down as gently as possible, coming back to his buckled seat right before it crashed on the side and rolled on itself a couple of times, slowed down by the sand then forest around.

Everyone was a little out, shaking heads and blinking to make sure they had all their limbs and they weren't missing their sight or hearing, and they all unbuckled. Enchantress let San came back and Hongjoong helped him up, Yeosang laughing like a child in an amusement park.

“Again !” he asked while Wooyoung huffed at his side, getting rid of invisible dust dramatically.

“This wasn't fun Yeo.”

“No you're right,” the blond did an elegant back wheel from the chopper's hedge to the floor, standing back on his feet, then turned to his friend, blond locks floating around. “It was _hilarious_.”

“We both have very different definition from was it funny and what isn't,” said Black Dragon, dusting actual ashes from his jacket.

“Everyone out,” ordered Hongjoong, helping San down the chopper. It was laid on its side but San's magic had kept them for any harm. It was raining slightly but they all understood it came from the high wave crashing around them.

Yunho and Mingi got out, the taller stretching a little bit. Wooyoung stayed a little bit on the edge, using the high difference from the ground to look around them. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, feeling the life around him : Jeju Island was one of the last places untouched by humans, and it showed. Even with Jeju City on the North Side and Seongwipo on the South side as the two principal town of the Island, at least 75% of it was natural forests, vegetation and the normally sleeping Hallasan Volcano.

Wooyoung could feel every tree, every flower, every root of the Island. He could feel every breath they took, every bee that came collecting pollen, every leaf gently following the wind.

He could feel the heartbeat of the earth and how it called to him, how it answered him, how it reached to him, he could feel his fingertips itching from the feeling of growing plants around them. He felt alive. He had never felt this before, never in South Korea, even if he destroyed half of town with plants. South Korea was too transformed. Here, he felt surrounded by everything he was. It felt like home.

“It's nice isn't it ?”

The lilac-haired opened his eyes and lowered his head to meet with San. The boy wasn't looking at him, but had his hands in the pocket of his trellis, and was watching the nature around them as well. He kept talking without waiting for an answer from Wooyoung :

“I don't feel it as much as you, I'm sure of it, but Enchantress is very sensible to this Island too. I can feel Her stretching like a cat on a comfortable bed inside of me. It's not home for Her, but it feels like it.”

Wooyoung's heart missed a beat, and his eyes widened slightly. San was someone very genuine and honest, he didn't need to know the guy for ten years to figure that one out, and he was sure his thoughts hadn't crossed the barrier of his lips, so how ? Was San really honest or only trying to earn his trust ?

Wooyoung couldn't know for sure, and he didn't like it. Yeosang was the only man he trusted, and after his ex he swore he wouldn't open up to anyone again.

San finally turned to him, only now seeing the weird look Wooyoung had on his face. Having understood that he was better to not say anything, he just offered his hand to the boy :

“Need help to come down ?”

That shook Wooyoung and he went back to keeping a stern face, frowning when looking at San's hand. The boy might be able to touch him when Enchantress was out, but could _he_ really without danger ? He wasn't sure and somehow, his sadistic mind didn't tell him to seize the hand no matter what and see if he could hurt San.

He hoped all these months in jail didn't turn him soft.

“When I need help I ask for it,” said the lilac-haired, jumping on the ground, enjoying the feeling of dirt and grass under his naked feet. He turned to San and flashed him his neon green eyes before adding : “And I _never_ ask.”

San had a small smile looking at him going to Yeosang, and he turned to Hongjoong. The Colonel was looking at the Sea, the little pad on his arm on and ready to blow someone's head off.

Right before the younger boy could talk, they indeed saw the shape of the Goddess crash onto the sea, and they had to hold their breath and grab onto each other as the return wasn't nice. Already half-soaked and loosing light as the sunset came closer, the Suicide Squad was really not in a nice mood.

A body walked out of the water, soaked to the bone as well and panting, but alive and here.

“Well, this mission isn't gonna complete itself, what are we waiting for ?”

“Seonghwa,” sighed Hongjoong. The man had came back, they were on the Island. Time to go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always my little outfit reference comment :)  
> -Seonghwa's outfit is the same as Killer Frost from Flash season 4. If you don't know or watch the show you can easily find referance pictures. I thought that Seonghwa in these clothes would be terrific !  
> -Yeosang's, Mingi's, Hongjoong's, San's, are inspired by the Suicide Squad movie, San wearing classic military clothes, and Mingi and Yeosang only having slight differences of outfit.  
> -Black Dragon's, Enchantress' and Yunho's are closer to their appearance in their comic books, you can find pictures online too  
> -Wooyoung was hell to do but is a sort of male version of Poison Ivy's outfit from the video game Arkham Asylum  
> -For Oneus, same thing, the outfits are like the soldiers' from the movie (hope you liked the little role I gave to them, we might see them in the following chapters, I don't know)


	4. Episode 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So chapter 3 is out ! We're getting a little further in the story ! Thank you for all the nice comments and the kudos. I'm currently writing chapter 7, and I think what will happen is that I will post a chapter everytime I had one finished, so sometime you'll have two updates in three days, and sometime one update in a week. Another thing is ! University starts next week for me and I have my moving out to prepare a little, so you probably won't hear from me until next week (I'll answer comments don't worry, I'm only talking about the updates !)
> 
> Hope you'll like this chapter ! There was an upgrade in the tags ! 
> 
> Enjoy !

Seonghwa was standing in front of the whole Team, all of them looking at him back with different stage of awe, from Mingi full on fan-boy mode, to Black Dragon whom didn't even spare a glance to the man.

“What ? 'got something on my face ?”

He didn't wait for an answer and closed his eyes, whole body going stiff as his skin got covered in a thin layer of ice. It broke thirty seconds after, and the gray-haired was completely dry, passing a hand in his hair to fix them and smirked to a disturbed Hongjoong.

“Thought I'd leave you ?”

“The thought did cross my mind,” admitted the younger, following Seonghwa with his eyes when he passed next to him.

“We have unfinished business Captain, and you need me,” the other raised a challenging brow.

San snorted when seeing Hongjoong was trying hard to not react, laughing hard when the other hid himself by replying :

“You only came back because I would've make your head explode.”

“Would you really ?” asked Seonghwa, standing once more way too close to Hongjoong than necessary.

“Don't tempt me Park.”

“I can tempt you into other things~”

“When you'll be done flirting, we actually have things to take care of,” snapped Wooyoung.

“Coming Wisteria, don't get angry you'll get weeds,” teased Seonghwa, steeping away from Hongjoong.

It was crazy how the bad guys seemed to have taken the lead now that they were on the Island, as if the territory was more familiar to them than to Hongjoong and Oneus.

“We need to get as close from the Hallasan as possible,” he said. “We should be able to find a road that will lead us exactly where we want to go.”

“You're kidding right ? We have to get close to that ?!” Yunho pointed with his rifle at the coughing volcano, thick smoke and even some spits of lava coming out of it from time to time.

“It won't be toxic because the smoke lingers in the air above us. If it starts coming down, we have gas-masks ready for all of us. We have to cross Yeondong to reach the National park.”

“You do know the Island is extremely large ? How do you want us to reach all of this in one night ?!”

“We have vehicles,” Hongjoong turned to another one of his personal squad, Xion, and the boy nodded, speaking up to confirm his superior.

“We have some located in Yeondong. We just need to hope they won't be damaged, but we know the town has only been stripped of its habitants. It might be in ruins too, but it hasn't been shaved off the map.”

“Great ...” sighed Wooyoung.

“ _Only stripped of its habitants_ ,” imitated Yunho with a high voice. “Seriously ?!”

“Can we stop whining and actually move, I want to shoot things and kill people !” Yeosang bounced on his feet like a child - a psycho child - and was pulling on Wooyoung's arms.

“Team Oneus in formation ! Squad, we're going to make some changes !”

Seonghwa, San, Mingi and Wooyoung were placed at the sides of the group, gifted with long-ranged powers, Yunho at the head with Hongjoong, Yeosang in the middle and Jongho behind him. Oneus was in two lines of three following them, alert and ready to defend themselves.

“We don't know what's waiting for us here, so be ready for anything,” advised Hongjoong.

“Speaking of which, don't think we forgot you have some explanations to do,” reminded Wooyoung bitterly.

“Yeah he's right. Now that we're here we deserve to know why the fuck is the Hallasan awake, and how it's possible that two Goddesses were awaken and are trying to kill us,” added Yunho, eyes looking at everything around them. So far, a vast field of dust and grass, but they could see the outlines of the City growing bigger.

Hongjoong sighed. He had forced Amanda to reveal to him what the hell was going on, so he was not about to keep the others from knowing ; it wouldn't be fair.

“A few months ago an archaeologist named Jeon Jaeng got a little too interested in our deities. He was gone for a trip overseas, but came back out of his mind and with a hero syndrome. He's rich, and got access to military weapons, causing the numerous disasters you've all heard of during those last few months. But destroying the country was not his goal ; not directly at least. He discovered that Jeju Island was hiding the tomb of our God of War.”

“Keonegitto,” whispered Yunho. He felt the heavy gaze on him and shrugged : “I actually went to university before killing people.”

“Yes, Him,” continued Hongjoong. “His goal is to awake Him and destroy the world. For that, he had to awake Halmang, the Goddess of Jeju Island, and protector of the tomb. Her role was to make sure shit like this don't happen, but Jaeng found a way to put Her into his pocket, because next thing we knew, he was praying day and night on top of the mountain, and She was back, accepting his offerings and proposition of War. That's why we're here now.”

“Wait I thought we were supposed to rescue some people here ?”

“We are.”

“And so what, we leave the entire country and perhaps even world being destroyed by the literal God of War ?” Seonghwa sounded as wild as ever, but also maybe a little worried.

“I didn't get orders for a neutralization. Only an evacuation.”

“That's bullshit,” snapped Yeosang.

“It doesn't matter right now,” tried to cool down San. “We already have to survive without attacking them directly, let's focus on that first.”

Everyone sensed the high tension coming for within the group, but they knew San was right, it was useless to fight about it now. They weren't stupid though : for now they had to save whoever that important person was, but once they were safe, what would happen ? Waller would probably send them to fight the Goddess and prevent the apocalypse, and then they really would become a Suicide Squad.

Reaching the town took them a good hour of walk, but it didn't tire them as much as they thought it would ; adrenaline probably. Seonghwa was maybe a little slow at the end, but his fight into the sea was enough to justify it. Yeongdong was empty. Even without the apocalypse happening on the Island, it was empty.

“Where are the cars ?” asked San, as clueless as the others. It relieved them somehow, knowing even someone as close to Hongjoong as San didn't have all the informations.

“We have a hidden parking lot in the middle of town, but closer to the National Park,” answered Leedo.

They had stopped after Hongjoong asked for them too, and they were know sharing water bottles and taking their breath back from the long and without stop walk.

“Please don't tell me we're suppose to walk to there _again_ ,” whined Yeosang, shoes off. If he had known he'd need to walk that much, he might have chosen different shoes. Fighting with heels was way easier than walking on long distance with them.

“No don't worry. We have quads hidden here.”

“Of course you do,” sighed Wooyoung. He was currently sitting like an amazon in the middle of the forest, and all around him they saw flowers and other small plants started to grow and slither around him like baby ducks would with their mother.

“We only have seven though, so we're gonna have to split into groups of two.”

Yeosang jumped on Wooyoung but was careful to not step on any plants, knowing how important they were to his friend, but Hongjoong cut their joy short.

“Not gonna happen, _I_ am choosing who goes with who,” he caught Yunho and Mingi exchanging glances but the boys froze when they heard him, thinking they had done something wrong. “No not you, I know you won't be a problematic duo.”

“You can't put me with anyone else than Kangley, I'll kill the rest of you and Seonghwa will kill me with his body heat.”

“You mean _lack_ of body heat,” Seonghwa corrected, smirking while crossing his arms on his chest. His gloves cracked a little under the pull, noise startling Hongjoong.

“San isn't sensible to your skin. And you know what happens if you try to harm him,” warned Hongjoong. “I'll take Seonghwa.”

“Or really ? How ? Up against a wall ? All on fours ? Just know that I like it _rough_ ,” Seonghwa's smile was definitely not appropriate, neither was the bed eyes he threw Hongjoong, and all of Oneus plus a big part of the Suicide Squad actually gagged at how the platinum-haired rose the sexual tension. Hongjoong was as red as Mingi's hair, but it was not just from embarrassment.

“Oh my god,” Mingi whispered, shooting Hongjoong a glance that yelled _I expected better of you_ , while Yeosang was laughing his ass off and cheering at Seonghwa.

“Alright, the quads !” cut Hwanwoong, turning to Leedo. Under Hongjoong the former seemed to be the leader, or at least the one the team turned to when in need. It took only three seconds of watching them for Yeosang to figure it out.

The blond was sitting next to his best friend from his spot on the ground, Wooyoung's hands deep in the grass, some small roots of flowers digging into his veins to act as a sort of wires, helping Wooyoung “connect” with the Island.

Yeosang then looked at Black Dragon while Oneus was finding and opening the hidden bunker they had here for the quads.

He didn't seem stressed yet, hadn't been since they met him, only talking with San and Hongjoong about what would be going on after. He clearly didn't know about the whole Goddess thing but hadn't let it show, only now considering that the mission might be bigger than he expected.

“He's ready to die as long as he saves the world,” spit Yeosang to no one in particular, but Wooyoung being next to him caught it.

“Yeah he's a hero. What did you expect ? For him to be any different than the bastards who captured us ?”

“He's younger, way younger. I expected him to be more ... impressionable.”

“By you ?”

“By all of us. By this shitty situation.”

“Careful Yeo, being obsessed is how you became Kangley Quinn.”

“Shut up Woo, we can't really give lessons to each other when it's about love. And this isn't it. I just want to crack him.”

“I know,” half-sang and half-sighed Wooyoung, voice rising slightly at the o. “But he won't-”

“Oi, Dragon !” called the blond, completely ignoring his best friend. He even rose to his feet with the help of his bat and jumped to join the three that where talking. “What's your nameF ?"

“Why ask a question you won't have the answer to ?”

“What's your name ?”

“I won't say it.”

“What's your name ?”

“Oh God not again,” whined Yunho, Mingi puffing at his side.

“He seems stubborn,” commented the red-haired.

“He is !” replied angrily Wooyoung from the floor.

“We're probably all dying before dawn anyway, you can tell us,” supported Seonghwa.

Yeosang was almost lying on Black Dragon now, arms around his neck, and it was getting ridiculous. He pouted, the younger looking away because he looked cute for a sociopath.

“Come on ! I already now you're surname's Choi.”

Yeosang was impressed to see that if Dragon froze, he didn't show it.

“What makes you say that ?” he only asked, voice neutral. Yeosang pointed at San, who looked at him like a deer caught in headlights.

“He called you cousin.”

“We aren't actually related.”

“Come on,” whined a second time the blond. “Are you really going to make me speak up my entire theory or are you really that dumb ?”

The other smirked, and Yeosang huffed, annoyed.

“I won't tell you, and I can bet you'll stop asking before I'll stop having patience for you,” his voice was low and Wooyoung cursed his good brain because he did saw Yeosang shiver from head to toe and his eyes spark up with interest, and damn if it wasn't something his best friend had been doing when spotting his one night stands back in High School.

While all of them were talking nicely, Oneus had finally got the quads out with the help of San and Hongjoong to drive them out of the bunker. They were military quads, so with double seats, very large, big tires that kept them off the ground, and large platforms behind the seats, probably to rest chests, bags, or other things like this on the vehicles. They were ready to ride.

Not before a nice information from Wooyoung first though :

“Guys wait, some thing's happening in the Island.”

“What ? How can you know ?” asked Keonhee.

“I'm connected to everything alive that is natural here. The Island is entirely intact, with its heart and its brain. I can feel everything. I just talked to some of the plants and they're afraid. For now Halmang made a forest grow, but soon if Koenegitto rises, everything will be destroyed.”

“Didn't it start already with the Volcano ?” wondered Mingi.

“There wasn't any plants here, when Halmang woke up, she made sure to reverse the process of growth on the specific area around Hallasan,” the lilac-haired had his brows furrowed in focus.

He gasped and a second later, a very powerful earthquake caught them off guard, Yeosang falling on Black Dragon and the others struggling to keep their balance too. Yunho had caught onto Mingi's arms to steady him and did the same with San, but the earthquake was gone as quick as it came, and when the red-haired noticed someone was touching him, he ripped his limp off the grip of the other.

“S-sorry,” he felt guilty of Yunho's confused face. “I don't want to hurt you accidentally.”

“You control your powers Mingi,” Yunho's face had turned soft, a gentle smile on his lips.

“You have no idea of that,” whispered the red-haired, broken.

It was not really the time to be emotional, and Hongjoong reminded them by screaming :

“Everyone of the quads we have to take off now !” his voice sounded a little more panicked than it probably should have, and they all understood why when looking behind them.

“Oh shit ...”

The earthquake had been from Halmang, and She was letting them know that She had no intention of letting them walk freely on Her Island. Behind them, the earth was starting to open up, and fucking zombies were crawling out.

Not really zombies, but they did wore very old clothes that looked like they once were the Goddess' followers and priors, as the symbol hanging from a heavy golden chain on their neck suggested.

It only took the zombies half a second to notice them, and rush to them, weapons like spears and swords ready.

“Seonghwa with me ! San you know what to do ! Yunho, Mingi !” everyone was moving at the same time, Wooyoung not protesting when San helped him on his feet very fast and almost threw him onto the quad at the backseat.

“I'll take Kangley !” informed Dragon, and Hongjoong only needed that to start his own quad, driving towards Seonghwa. The later grabbed the Colonel's arm and jump on the back of the vehicle, careful to not grab the man to steady himself.

Wooyoung wasn't really happy and he didn't hesitate to grab San's waist and stick his entire torso to the older's back, Yunho doing more or less the same with Mingi (Yunho had never driven things like this so he was glad Mingi had). Yeosang was also startled but understanding the urge didn't protest more and also threw himself behind Jongho's back.

Needless to say the accelerator was pressed so hard it could have stayed block for all of them.

“This was all we needed of course !”

“They're coming fast !” warned Xion, arms wrapped around Leedo's waist.

All the none drivers turned their heads to see that indeed, the fuckers were fast, but also had horses.

“The fucking hell ?!”

They couldn't do much since they had to grab the drivers to not fall, but it would probably be a problem soon if the zombies caught up to them. Hongjoong cursed realizing that once more, as Oneus couldn't use their guns, their security was in the hands of people who actually wanted to kill them.

“Seonghwa can you do anything ?!”

“The others are too close I'll hit them if I try to make a wall or something !”

Yeosang had a small gun and was able to twist himself, still holding Jongho's broad waist with one arm, shooting down a few zombies before they drove on a bump and he almost fell.

“Yeosang ! You alright ?!” asked Dragon.

“That's Kangley for you !” he totally ignored the question.

Mingi was panicking a little bit but Yunho's face right next to him kind of helped.

“It's a shame I can't drive, your fire would be handy now !”

They sort of had to scream to be heard, because the noises made by the quad plus the hord coming at them was a little too much noise.

“I'm glad you can't then,” replied Mingi, focusing on the road and missing the weird look sent by the older.

Wooyoung soon understood he was the only one who could do something and he closed his eyes, forehead pressed between San's shoulder blades, trying to feel his connection with the Island. He searched for it and when he found it, it felt like an extension of his limbs. His eyes shot open, neon green, and roots the thickness of a tree ripped the ground right where they had driven a second before and went high, crossing each other to make a barrier. Thorns started to grow from the roots, effectively stopping and slowing down the zombies.

“Wouah ! Good job Purple !” cheered Yeosang, almost whacking Black Dragon in the process.

They kept on going silently, the passengers looking carefully around them to make sure there wouldn't be another problem, and it's at this moment the blond decided to be annoying again.

“So, now we're both together, we're _intimates_.”

Dragon scoffed, clearly amused : “I'll never be intimate with someone like you.”

“Ow, you're scared ? What, is it the psycho side that's blinding you from the amazing person I am ?”

“It would be if it was true. I know your file, I read about you, but I also know what the books don't say Quinn.”

“If you're trying to scare me you're doing it wrong, the whole country already knows who I am, there's nothing you have that they don't.”

“You're not the only one very good at cornering people and reading their minds.”

“Really ? Now you got me curious ... Tell me about me then ~”

The younger was happy to do so :

“It's all an act. You actually got a little damaged by the Joker's chemical products he bathed you in, but in reality, you have a lot of clear moments. The only thing is : when you got on full crazy, that's when you're worst than him. Your little games of acting so coy and self-centered. You care about people. Wisteria, the Joker. _He_ doesn't.”

“He does,” Yeosang wasn't denying any of the rest, but in reality he was starting to get caution.

“You don't have to act crazy for people to notice you, believe me. You're the first one I noticed coming on the chopper and you weren't even talking.”

“If I'm not like him, he'll let go of me,” whispered the blond.

“Would it be that bad ? I heard things, I saw security cameras. You're useful to him now Yeosang, but once it stops, you can act crazy all you want but in the end, he'll give up on you either way.”

“You're lying, my puddin' will never do that to me.”

“Your _puddin_ ' didn't do much to get you out of prison lately, did he ?”

Yeosang stayed silent, eyes darting to look at Wooyoung who was grabbing on San tight. The older seemed to try to joke around, but the lilac-haired wasn't in the mood for humour and was probably biting back, but it didn't seem to stop San.

“You wouldn't be there if you weren't smart. You _have_ to know by now that you're his thing, his pet. “

“And so what if I am ?!” finally snapped the blond. “What will you do about it hu ? I'm the second most feared and powerful man of Seoul's underground world, I have his protection, and no matter what I want, he gives it to me !”

“Is he ? Or are you asking for things you know he'll like for you to wear ? You never wore makeup before meeting him. I saw your graduation pictures, from both High School and University. You never wore makeup when you started working at the Asylum either. Why did you start ? Because you liked it ?”

Yeosang was getting angrier the second, but he wasn't even sure about whom. He could angry after so many persons right now. First this Black Dragon whom thought he knew everything so well, then Kim fucking Hongjoong for forcing him to be with the younger, then the Joker, for letting him rot in jell for almost a year without sending any message, and finally at himself ... Because Black Dragon was right and that he was not in a situation he liked. But he was not about to let him know that.

So he laughed, as fake, loudly, and obnoxiously and he could, throwing his head back for a little bit of effect, and said :

“That was a very good try Dragon, I'm impressed. You could actually work in an Asylum too, if only your diagnostic wasn't wrong !”

Yeosang felt more than he heard the sight made by the younger, and his eyes closed. He couldn't do this. No matter what was the others goal with outing the blond like this, he couldn't let him.

“The final issue.”

Yeosang froze, and turned his head slowly to the man.

“What ?”

“My entire name. With my surname. It means the final issue.”

It took a whole minute for the blond to go over all the names he knew that could go with Choi - and Dragon indirectly confirmed that his surname was Choi - and when he found it it's very hesitant that he said :

“Jongho ?”

“Yes ?”

He almost gasped but managed to stop the noise. Now that he had the information, he had leverage on the man to manipulate him ! He could say it to Wooyoung and the others, he could put Black Dragon's security on the line !

But he didn't want to. Deep inside of him, he was touched that Jongho decided to let him know his name despite knowing how untrustworthy Yeosang was. And the fact he decided to tell him now of all time, when they were alone, when Yeosang had just lied openly to Jongho about his mental state and life ... Deep inside the blond cursed himself for letting the hero pass his barriers. Because him being touched by something so trivial, was only a confirmation of Jongho's words.

Yeosang's life was a comedy.

Before he had a bigger chance to think about it Wooyoung's voice startled all of them.

“San turn !”

Right in front of them, the ground was shaking again and more zombies were coming out. A look behind them and they cursed : Wooyoung's horns had been efficient but not anymore.

“For fuck's sake not again !” yelled Mingi.

“They'll stop when we'll reach the forest !” said Ravn.

“The forest in an hour from here !” reminded San.

“We need to make sure we don't leave one of us behind and- SHIT !”

Something had just popped from the ground right in front of Hongjoong's and Seonghwa's quad, and the Colonel had been forced to brake violently, the older having to grab onto the smaller to not fall. What had came from underground was a very tall werewolf but Seonghwa didn't lose time taking a good look at it and threw ice swords at it, freezing it.

“Go !”

Of course the others had kept going and now, they had done exactly what Hongjoong didn't want, and that was having one left behind.

“Kim !” called Hwanwoong worried, but Hongjoong brushed it off.

“Keep going we can't stop !”

The zombies were coming out from everywhere around them, and more than once they hit drove on a few in their hurry. Wooyoung was working effortlessly to immobilise the zombies as much as possible, and as their quad was near the ones of Oneus, he also helped them. Plants and roots were shooting from the ground but smaller and more resistant than the ones before, wrapping around the zombies to keep them from coming out of the ground completely.

Yeosang was fighting with two zombies that had horses, using his bat as his gun would be a little dangerous considering the rest of the Squad.

“I'm going to need you to keep driving and not even try to move one bit !” he yelled at Jongho, raising himself from his sitting position to his heels behind the man, one hand grabbing the younger's shoulder, the other holding his bat close.

“What are you going to do ?!” asked the other.

"Drink tea, what else ?!”

And there he went. Yeosang blocked the sword with his heel, using to his advantage the rust to break the blade in half, responding with a swing of his bat to the other's head. It knocked the zombie out and the horse slowed down, but there was still one to take care of one the other side. And this one had two zombies on his back.

The one sitting at the end of the horse was trying to grab Yeosang, probably to throw him overboard, but the blond didn't let him and using his balance on Jongho's shoulder and the backseat of the quad he was no longer sitting on, he threw his legs to the zombie's face, kicking him and making him fall forward on the other zombie.

But he hadn't calculated that the swing of his legs would be that strong, and without Jongho, he probably would've fell. Right before he did though, the boy took one hand off the wheel and grabbed on Yeosang's ass, failing to grab somewhere else, and yanked it to his body. Fortunately both of them were used to shitty situation like this, and Yeosang was able to part his legs and slither them on each side of Jongho's hips while the younger quickly grabbed the wheel back and kept his eyes on the road.

The new position was ... original to say the least ... Yeosang was astride on Jongho's thighs, right between his torso and the wheel. He knew he was model size but he didn't thought there was enough place for a body to fit in here. Jongho kept a stern face but Yeosang didn't fail to notice the small pink color on his cheeks.

“Well there, someone's moving fast,” the blond would never admit it had been very hot how the younger had manhandled him like he weighted nothing. He had already noticed how muscular Jongho seemed to be, but that was something else. “I have a boyfriend already y'know ?” he smirked, and Jongho shot him an annoyed glance.

“I can throw you away if it bothers you,” he snapped, not having enough patience nor will to play Yeosang's game right now.

The two zombies that were at their side were still there, and Yeosang didn't get his eyes off Jongho's - the younger was looking at the road - before taking his gun out and shooting almost point-blank the zombie he had kicked earlier. Only one left.

“No I'm quite comfortable here,” Jongho's choked on nothing when Yeosang's moved his hips enough to grind but not enough for it to look like something else than him trying to find a better position.

“Stop moving and take care of the last one !”

“Stop moving or take care of the last one ?! I can't do both !”

“Cupcake !”

The blond turned to see Wooyoung and San driving next to them, right on the other side of the zombie's horse.

“Woo ! Perfect time !”

“Are we interrupting something ?” laughed San, eying their position.

“Only getting to know each other better y'know, the classic,” shrugged the blond.

“Yeosang I swear-”

“Yeah yeah I got it I'mma take care of it don't pop a nerve !”

Using his gymnastic talents Yeosang was able to pass behind one of Jongho's arm and sit back behind him, earning an impressed whistle from San. Wooyoung reached for the ground and a sort of vine came into his hand. He called for Yeosang and threw the thing under the horse, right between his four legs, and the blond knew they'd try to overthrow the dead animal.

He took a deep breath knowing what kind of acrobatics he'd need to do, and this time, stood up on the stern platform of the quad. He could feel Wooyoung's worried gaze on him, as well as Jongho's and San's eyes that looked at him in their side mirror, but he knew the best way to do that was to not think about it too much and just go for it.

So he jumped. He didn't have to a lot though, because the horse was very close to him, but he jumped slightly, bat long forgotten but not lost, and his palms landed right on the animal's croup. He knew he didn't have a very thick area of maneuver, but still had to do a _layout_ , feet hitting the platform behind Wooyoung right when his hands started to slide. He heard Jongho cursed but Wooyoung grabbed his arms and jolted him forwards, preventing him from another probably lethal fall.

“Faster, now !”

Both of them did as Jongho asked, and the horse was soon swiped away because of the rope tied around his body, the zombie falling with him.

Behind them, Seonghwa and Hongjoong were still in a difficult situation. Yunho had been trying to ask Mingi for his help in vain, the younger focused on the road and not decided to use his powers anytime soon. Not when others could do it way better than he.

Seonghwa was trying to make ice chestnuts pods the size of a car to stop the zombies, and it worked, partially. He had gotten his arms off of Hongjoong as soon as he could to not kill the man, so he didn't really feel when the younger was fucking tackled off the quad by a zombie with a spear, and he had to jump on the wheel to not crash.

“Fuck Hongjoong !”

He had fallen a little behind but had started to run right after, gun out and shooting at the things coming at him as best as he could. The zombie wave was still a little further, so he wasn't in real danger, but that was still shitty.

Everyone turned when Seonghwa screamed the other's name, and Yeosang had an amused corner smile.

“Ah ! Good riddance !”

“If he dies, we die !” reminded Wooyoung, already on the move with another wall of thorns, hopping it'd be enough to save Hongjoong until Seonghwa reached to him. The later did turn around to go and get him, using his ice as a constant shield around the quad, and leaving a tray behind him in order to slow down some opponents.

Jongho knew what Hongjoong would ask of him once Seonghwa would've gotten him back and caught up to them, so he turned to San.

“Come closer I need Yeosang back here !”

Weirdly, Yeosang didn't protest and only obeyed, but he was surprised to see Jongho moving around.

“What are you doing ?!”

“I need you to drive this, can you ?!”

Yeosang only gave a grunt as an answer, and jumped from San's quad to theirs, taking Jongho's place as the driver. He shivered feeling the strong hands grabbing at his thin waist, and he was sure they could circle it all if he tried. He shook his had internally, cursing himself for having such thoughts. Jongho had secured his bat in one of the numerous compartment at the front of the vehicle, so he thanked him for it - internally of course.

“So what now ?!”

“We have to wait until Hongjoong is secured !”

And Seonghwa was making sure it was happening sooner than later. The Colonel had not fall far behind him, so he reached him spot rather quickly, Wooyoung's barrier helping him to not have many zombies to slow him down. Hongjoong was running towards him and Seonghwa didn't stop, only reaching for his arm and tilting his upper-body on the side a little bit. The blue-haired caught his forearm and he too closed his cold fingers around it to make sure he wouldn't lose him, and helped him up behind him, almost making him fly considering how he lifted the smaller man.

“Sorry for your arm,” apologized Seonghwa, already pressing on the accelerator and twisting the handle bars.

“It's fine, you saved my life. Well, you also saved yours ... but thank you anyway,” the younger brushed off his arms the little crystals that had taken place, shivering against his will.

Behind them Frost left a very thick and spreading layer of ice, using the pressure of his powers to fastened them.

They were in the middle of land but they was a road that would be more useful to reach for the National Park, and Hongjoong spotted it on their right :

“Guys ! Road at 3 o'clock ! Everyone on it !”

Considering the whole population that lived on the Island had probably been annihilated by now, they wouldn't have issues crossing cars or motor-bikes. At least, ones with people in them.

“Should we follow it ?” asked Seoho behind Keonhee.

“Yes !”

Jongho had asked Yeosang to slow their quad down, Hongjoong seeing it from afar, and Seonghwa had gone so fast the two were now on the same level.

“You know what you have to do ?!” asked the Colonel.

“Of course, I'm going to stop this at least for now, they can't follow us everywhere anyway,” smiled Jongho.

Seonghwa and Yeosang exchanged confused glances and the platinum-haired shrugged, fastening their quad once more. The blond felt two cotton balls filling his ears, and he swore one finger was a little too longing on his cheek when Jongho retrieved his hands. He could only trust the younger to not get them killed, and so he wasn't that startled when the other reversed his position, back now pressing on Yeosang's, and took a deep breath.

He felt the younger take a very deep breath, but nothing could've prepared him for the sound that followed.

It felt like he could hear ultra-sounds. Hongjoong wasn't kidding and Jongho was no joke. Even the quad's mirrors broke under the power held in the younger's voice, and Yeosang understood that the alias Dragon wasn't only from Jongho's Chinese zodiac sign.

He almost dropped the wheel to slap his hands on his ears, wincing under the pain, but he had to keep going, and it felt the ground shake under the four tires, as he went faster until he had joined the road with the others. Jongho was moving around to cover as much area as possible until his breath would run out, and it did, finally, after a few meters. But when they looked behind, there was nothing left, only piles of body thrown under the sound impact, and the ground was cracked and unequal, as if he had been the one to start an earthquake on his own.

All the scientists of the groups knew that he very well could if he wanted and if his sound was directed at the right spot underground.

When he finally stopped and sat back behind Yeosang, the blond could hear him panting, and he didn't have any hard time believing the other had sang with his whole heart.

“That was a hell of a scream,” he pointed out.

“I call it a cry. The Dragon Cry,” corrected Jongho with a little laugh.

“I can see why ...”

It was the bad guys' turn to be impressed by the good guy's power and maybe even a little scared of it.

“How long 'til we reach the National Park ?” asked Seonghwa turning slightly to Hongjoong.

“I'm not sure,” the blue-haired got a sort of GPS pod out, tapping on it to localise their position and where they were suppose to be heading. “We don't have a high speed but a train is suppose to be waiting for us in a few kilometers.”

“A train ? I never heard about a train on Jeju Island before ?”

“Military,” explained Hongjoong. “The locals don't even know it's there.”

“ _Didn't_ ,” corrected Seonghwa, and the weight of their mission was brought back. No wonder they hadn't encounter any life form. The whole Island had been wiped out of its habitants, replaced by a thick forest they had just entered after leaving the wrecked City.

Wooyoung felt at home as much as he felt danger. It was a very peculiar feeling he rarely experiences and didn't like, and was constantly on high alert, almost more than Oneus and Hongjoong.

They reached the end of the rails of the train and saw a single wagon with a command board.

The train only had one way to go, up the park, and Hongjoong only had to press one button to start it, praying Halmang hadn't made too much plants grow around it and block its advance. Everyone was silent, taking in what had happen in the last hours, the threat they had to face, how important and numerous they could be, and trying to prepare for what would come.

Wooyoung was the first to notice when things changed. The train had closed doors but only one window open for them to hear any unnatural noises, but it wasn't a noise that startled the lilac-haired. He got up from the bench he had been sitting on next to San, making the later confused, and reached the window, tucking his head out to look at the scape. Or what he could see considering it was a thick forest with trees absolutely everywhere. He was still able to tell something was wrong.

“Hey Wisteria. Everything OK ?” asked San.

Wooyoung shushed him, than gestured to his ear to tell him to lean on.

“Listen,” he whispered/ordered.

Turning into the Enchantress as She had a better hearing than his, San couldn't really figure out what Wooyoung wanted him to hear.

“I only hear the whistle of the wind.”

“Exactly.”

The older turned to look deep inside the forest green eyes of the younger, only seeing a certain apprehension.

“There was no wind when we got in, and there's no way for it to wake up this strong.”

“But Frost took care of Dalnim-”

“We're not above water anymore. We're on the Island. You saw it earlier with the zombies, we're on Her territory, everywhere around us is a danger zone for our teams,” his whispers were accelerated as if he was scared Halmang could hear him and act to stop him, and his fear got real when the train's brakes made a screeching noise and all of them were thrown over to the head. Hongjoong and Oneus got piled up on top of each other on the head's glass, as they were all behind the control panel, Seonghwa caught himself on the wall behind him by freezing his hands, Yeosang grabbed Jongho in his fall and managed to stop them by grabbing a pole, and Wooyoung fell right on his side, one of San's arm near his torso as the boy had fallen almost on him, face on.

Turning to look at each other, they felt the other's breath but didn't really react, until San got off the help Wooyoung up. The later was trying hard not to blush - in his case that would be visible by his skin turning a deeper green - and turned around.

“Again,” groaned Hwanwoong.

“What's going on this time ? Did a tree fell on the rails ?” asked Seonghwa.

“ **I don't think so** ,” the voice was very deep but very much all around them and very much belonging to the Goddess of the Island Yeosang saw with wide eyes and an open mouth when he looked through the door. “ **I tried to take you down once but you resisted. Now it's time for a little game.** ”

Wooyoung felt the earth shake under the train when no one did, and understood the subtext behind Halmang's words. The little game would be between the two of them.

“Everybody out now !”

“What ?!”

“OUT !”

The second everyone was jumping out of the wagon, trees, _trees,_ grew from beneath the train and completely crashed it, leaving pieces of metal tangling in the air around the trees' trunks.

“Run !”

Wooyoung was taking the lead, directing them through the poisoned woods as much as he could. They all had to stay in a line to make sure they wouldn't step on something they shouldn't, but Halmang was having a lot of fun making whole vegetable walls in front of them. Wooyoung understood what it was like to fight his powers, and he suddenly felt proud as much as he felt annoyed.

“I'm under the impression She's testing you,” pointed out Hongjoong.

“Yeah no shit Sherlock !”

Seonghwa and San snorted but the others were a little busy on ~ _surviving_ ~. The older soon got enough of this, and decided he'd go full on freezing mode.

“You'll kill us all if you do this !” reminded Yunho.

“Just stick close to Mingi and you'll be fine ! It's either that or She impales us with a beautiful rose !”

San was thinking hard, and Jongho could swore he saw a bubble pop above his head when an idea came to him :

“I could use Enchantress' powers !”

“To do what ?”

He turned to Wooyoung with a sorry face, a genuine one, and the lilac-haired was caught off guard for a second.

“I'm sorry but I could try and kill the whole area. Like this she won't be able to reach us but ...”

“I won't be able to use my powers at all,” completed the lilac-haired. “Do it.”

“But-”

“San. Do it.”

The raven-haired took a deep breath and closed his eyes, his presence soon replaced by Enchantress, and She immediately kneeled down, palms on the floor and fingers digging into the earth. Everything around them turned rotten and black. The high grass and flowers immediately faded, trunks of trees retracting onto themselves as if all the water was sucked out of them, and two screams echoed one another. Halmang's, and Wooyoung's. The later had kept from reminding San his connection to every living being that wasn't human and his connection to the Island as he knew the older wouldn't had done what he did.

Yeosang threw himself on his knees right when Wooyoung collapsed, catching his best friend in his arms and yelling at San :

“You're hurting him stop !”

It felt like thousands of needles piercing his hearts and lungs, black spots dancing in front of his eyes, head feeling light and spinning.

“Wooyoung !”

“You don't get to call him that ! Y'all need to stop pretending we're friends ! We're not Yeosang, Mingi, Yunho, Seonghwa or Wooyoung ! We're Kangley, Agma, Deadshot, Frost and Wisteria ! I'll kill the next one to call us by our birth name, I swear to God !”

All of the blond's defenses had shot right up and he didn't care if San looked on the verge of crying for hurting Wooyoung, or if Hongjoong and Jongho looked at him in shock. He didn't care. If they were all forgetting what their primal mission was, then he'd have the pleasure to remind them.

“Woo- Wisteria, I'm sorry I didn't-” started San again.

“I know, easy Cupcake I asked for it,” groaned the lilac-haired to Yeosang, switching for a sitting position. He was still short on breath and his head was still spinning but he felt better. The Island hadn't gotten completely dead, deep inside he could still feel life, and it was enough for him to feel a little better.

“It was the only way and by doing so, you hurt Her more than you hurt me, and that's all that matters.”

Yeosang was looking at him weirdly, clearly in disagreement with him, but kept silent. Halmang hadn't reached to them either, and they took it as a good sign, resuming their walk to the top. They had guessed the National Park was already all around them, so they didn't understand and clearly panicked when suddenly, it was all desert again. No tree no plant no nothing. Only the void on the little mountain they were on, closer to the Hallasan as they had reached it's feet.

“We have to find the bunker in which our rescue mission is hiding,” said Hongjoong, charging another weapon.

“What do we do if we find _him_ instead ? The guy who started all of this ...” asked Mingi.

“We should probably wait before killing him, he bares weird symbols on his body now. The pictures were blur so we couldn't see them very well, but I think Enchantress recognizes them. We need to wait for Her to read them to make sure we won't do something stupid,” explained San.

“Killing him won't be stupid,” sighed Yeosang.

“If the whole thing of praying is for wakening a God, the logical following of event is a human sacrifice,” replied the raven-haired, brows furrowed.

“And ?”

San only looked at Yeosang with a blank expression, the blond slowly understanding.

“Oh ... OH !”

“That would be unfortunate indeed,” said Yunho.

“ **What will be unfortunate is your deaths !** ”

Halmang. And She was _pissed_. No screw that, it was an understatement. She was more than that but words weren't enough to describe it. An earthquake followed by another eruption of the Hallasan on the other hand ... Thanks to Wooyoung they once more felt it coming and had time to steady themselves by kneeling on the ground to limite the damages, Seonghwa already prepared to freeze a whole ass lava trail if he had to. He didn't, fortunately, but that didn't mean they were out of troubles.

Another row of at least 50 soldiers per person had rose from the earthquake and was forming a deathly circle around them.

But now they weren't on unsteady grounds as they had been on the quads, and Oneus, Yunho and Hongjoong had their guns loaded and ready. Yeosang scoffed when he saw the taller put on his white mask with the little target-eye on the right :

“Pussy.”

“I will kick your ass, I do not care that you're the Joker's boyfriend,” bit back Yunho, lightly though.

“How many times is She going to send those at us ?”

“Don't make Her send more please,” begged Mingi to San's comment.

The raven-haired laughed heartedly, explosion of high-pitch sound, before he turned into the Enchantress again and disappeared. When they saw the back rows of the zombies starting to fall they understood San had started to attack.

“Every armed one with guns ! Take an area opposite to those without, we don't want accidental injuries !” ordered Hongjoong, followed by a very loud _Yes Colonel !_ from Oneus and an ironic _Yes sir_ from Yunho.

Wooyoung was still a little weakened and Yeosang passed him to Mingi - not directly into his arms, let's not kill the poor boy - before throwing himself into the mêlée, swinging his bat and making long sequences of acrobatic figures, only pulling his gun out when he could shoot point-blank.

Seonghwa had been going for the San method, meaning he used an ice springboard to drop himself right in the middle of his area, before focusing a lot of ice in his hands and letting them drop, freezing half of the zombies around him in the process. The remaining broke the statues by rushing in, and Seonghwa had to go with fighting on close-combat, armed with ice spears and stalagmites he made from the floor.

San was also making a very good job at confusing his opponents, and it showed how much he was controlling of his powers, given how he took them down with his dagger, disappeared to re-appear much further, then repeated the process as much as needed. Wooyoung and Mingi looking at the scene were impressed, especially Mingi whom once more felt the string of guilt and anger against himself strike. The lilac-haired was absorbed in the way San moved his body, going further and further to what was humanly possible, and he wondered if it was only the Enchantress' effect on his body or if he had a flexibility on his own.

He had his answer a few minutes later when Enchantress started to grow tired and San's control on Her with it, and the boy decided to keep going by himself. And damn he was good. Taekwondo. That's what Mingi recognized. So add a knife and a gun to the mix, and San was a freaking dancer when fighting.

Hongjoong and Yunho had lost Oneus and were back to back, turning together to keep a constant rotation that assured them one side wasn't more filled with enemies than another, Hongjoong witnessing for the second time how every bullet Yunho shot immediately found a target ; preferably a skull.

“We're starting to get crowded !” threw the taller over his shoulder at some point, and he was right. The zombies were a little too close to be shot and a point-blank was a too big risk to take, so they had to go close-combat too, Hongjoong taking his hand-gun, Yunho switching on his wrist-mounted ones on. His inexperience in closer combat started to show, as he was just a kid, but he still managed to surprise Hongjoong by swinging good right hooks. It was far from the Colonel's way of fighting, way more like San's, more technique, more legs, more throwing yourself on the enemy, wrapping your legs around their neck and hitting them on the floor while you kept your balance with your palms on the ground. It was less acrobatic and more streets-like, but it worked.

Six against less than fifty, Oneus was rather efficient, and started helping the others. But even if they were six, some zombies saw Wooyoung and Mingi defenseless behind them, and aimed at them.

“Agma !” warned Hwanwoong, but Mingi could only look with wide eyes and deep fear anchoring him to the ground.

They were both on the ground as Wooyoung was weakened and in a half-sitting half-laying position, Mingi one knee on the ground next to him but completely useless when he saw the danger.

“Agma !”

He didn't react. He couldn't use his powers. Even less with Wooyoung next to him, part _plant,_ when he was _fire._ It was a bad idea and nothing you could tell Mingi would convince him otherwise.

“Shit,” groaned Wooyoung before closing his eyes and putting one palm on the ground. His eyebrows were furrowed in focus, and Mingi could tell he had a hard time feeling anything alive, but right when he thought the zombies would get to them, a horned dome jolted from around them and close on above their heads, leaving no opening whatsoever, leaving them in the dark. Flowers bloomed in the inside though, letting out a small white light and oxygen. Wooyoung didn't look fine, face contorted with pain. The earlier inside injury from San and his constant use of his power despite his state wasn't going any good, and Mingi felt even more guilty.

“I'm sorry,” he blurted between Wooyoung's panting breaths, “I'm sorry I can't help I just-”

“You just what ?! You have a power don't you ?!”

“Y-yes b-but-”

“Then fucking use it ! That's twice in a row ! If you want to get yourself kill fine ! But you're not the only one in deep shit to the neck ! So think about the others !”

Villains were the most selfish human beings on the planet, and as a real anti-human Wooyoung was maybe the worst of them all, but in this very situation, he was right. Even Seonghwa who was as bad as Wooyoung had jumped of a fucking chopper to save their asses from a Goddess.

“Alright enough,” snapped the lilac-haired feeling the zombies were still around, and Mingi got terrified of how the horn prison opened like a jaw around them before extending its roots to be able to crush all the zombies around them like an elephant paw would fall on a fly. With them in the middle of it, it could look like the crater of an explosion.

“Wooyoung ! You alright ?!” asked Yeosang rushing to help them up.

“Yeah, and it's no thanks to Agma,” Yunho and Hongjoong had joined the little trio and the former turned to look at Mingi with a frowning face, something on his mind but no on his tongue.

“Seonghwa and San are helping Oneus taking care of the last ones, then we're clear, let's start to move.”

It was almost funny how Hongjoong hadn't cared for Yeosang's earlier words, still stubborn on calling Seonghwa by his birth name. Yeosang had felt some sort of weird sexual tension between them - clearly explored on one side and in denial on the other, we shall not give names - and only rolled his eyes, not feeling the energy to kill the Colonel now.

They had all gotten out with more or less scratches, Yeosang's makeup being a little smudged, Seonghwa's jacket being torn at the bottom of it and the boy bearing a scar on the naked skin of his arm. Hongjoong had some scratches on his forearms as the zombies had tried to grab him. Oneus and Yunho were relatively intact, and San was mostly dirty from all the dust he had moved while fighting the way he had. Jongho had a deep cut on the side of his left cheekbone, and Yeosang's pressed a finger against it.

Of course the younger hissed, and he thought he had gone crazy when he saw worry flash in the blond's eyes. But it was quick, and now Yeosang had gotten his finger back and was licking the drop of Jongho's blood he had on the tip of it with a cocky smile, bat swung lazily on his shoulder. He was sinful. Jongho coughed and turned around. San took the chocolate bars and the jacket handed to him by Leedo with a thanks, and Hongjoong spoke up :

“Let's not forget why we're here. She just rose up another barrier at us, but we broke it down.”

“ **Try breaking this one** ”

What was the mix between a earthquake and a tsunami wave erupted from the feet of the Hallasan, making a sort of earth-wave, that was coming right at them.

Wooyoung was tired and needed to rest, but seeing the thing coming he knew none of them could possibly stop it in time or without hurting any of them, so with a war cry he clawed his fingers, palms facing the ground, and everyone felt the ground shake under them, but it was not because of Halmang's attack.

It was a massive maze of hedges twenty feet high at least, growing from the floor and destroying half of it in the process, giving them a few corridors to stop the wave by crashing it onto the maze, kilometers away from them.

The blow still reached them and threw them back, but instead of landing on the hard ground they were stop half-way by the same hedges that had grown behind them. Only then they realised they were trapped in Wooyoung's maze, and that they had been separated in teams of two except for Oneus.

Wooyoung and San looked at each other before the lilac-haired's body gave up, making him fall right in San's open arms.


	5. Episode 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is really long, more than 10k words, oops ^^'  
> Things are evolving nicely between our characters, some iconic lines are thrown, and I hope you'll like this chapter !
> 
> (I'm thinking about making epilogues chapter maybe for each couple, I'm not saying much because it already feels like spoiling just saying that so ...)
> 
> Enjoy !

“Wooyoung !”

San fell on his knees, his body following the one of the younger, worried for two reasons : one, this situation was accidentally his fault, and two, they had been separated from the others, and even if it was Wooyoung's maze, he didn't need Enchantress to feel the change in the air and how Halmang was appropriating it to Herself.

“You really don't care about Yeosang's threat,” coughed the lilac-haired amused. San frowned.

“I'm sure he was only meaning it on the moment. And I don't care about what he says. I don't see you as Poison Wisteria.”

“If it's because you can touch me without dying then don't get used to it, I can still secrete something than could kill you,” he groaned while standing up again, leaning half of his body on San, whom only chuckled at the words.

“I don't have any doubts.”

He sucked in a breath when one of the boy's hand found its way on his narrowed waist gently, almost like a caress, the other placing his arm through his shoulder and grabbing his thin wrist.

Wooyoung wasn't muscularly thin like Yeosang or Seonghwa could be, he had thick thighs and shapes, and he suddenly felt small in the other's very muscular arms. Even through his shirt he could feel the stretch of the muscles while he figured how to help Wooyoung walk.

“So, where to ? It's your maze, you should feel where to go.”

“You're not worried I'm going to do something to you then blame it on the Goddess, now that we're alone ?”

San lifted a brow.

“Are you ?”

“ .... No.”

“Then no, nothing to worry about. I know you probably don't like me very much because I'm a good guy and by definition we're suppose to hate each other, but I don't think that way.”

“What, you like me ?” scoffed Wooyoung.

“I don't hate you. I understand. I could've turned like you and Seonghwa too. But I found the right people at the right time. Further more, I didn't have anyone to blame, any cause to defend like both of you do, so I think it helped me focus on controlling whatever I had become instead of going rogue and figure things out on the way.”

“You can't understand,” whispered the younger, but even to him his words felt pasty. He had a feeling San did knew somehow, at least half of what they had to go through as failed experiments.

“You really think so ? Wooyoung, I wasn't born with Enchantress. I grabbed Her on the way ... Or more like, She grabbed me.”

And the lilac-haired found himself thinking about questions he wanted to ask. If he started to judge without knowledge like half the good guys out there, he was as rotten as them. And it's something he had been fighting all his life. So he took a deep breath, focused on walking, and asked :

“How did you found Enchantress ?”

San had a long sigh, but not one that meant he didn't want to talk about it, no it was one of a complicated story to come.

“At a party. I drank, looked for the bathroom, stumbled into the wrong room. I don't know what freak had done this. But there was blood on the floor, right in the middle of what was a summoning circle, weird symbols around it. Candles lit up everywhere inside the room, even a stick of sage was burning if I remember correctly.”

“Someone summoned Her ?”

“That's what I and the others from the government ended up thinking. I described them as best as I could the scene, but they could never see it in real life. By the time they had found me and heard my story the room had been cleaned.”

“But, how ?”

“She had been summoned, but She needed a body. The thing is, whoever had summoned Her was gone ... Maybe because they thought it hadn't work, I don't know, but She was there, waiting in the corner of the room for a vessel.”

Wooyoung turned to look at San, the male's black eyes flashing a green as flashy as his own for a second.

“I was this vessel to Her. Waking up after She had jumped in me was worse than a hangover. I felt drowned, as if something had entered every opening my body could provide, and I thought I'd die on that floor. Obviously I didn't !”

The tone and the boy's expression ripped a little laugh from Wooyoung, the younger quickly covering his mouth when his high-pitched hyena laugh started to come out.

“That was very cute,” commented San, he too laughing.

“Shut up,” snapped Wooyoung, feeling his cheeks heat up. He was glad he didn't need to ask San to keep talking, the later doing it on his own.

“I was terrified. The next time I woke up I was in a hospital room, with no idea how I had arrived there. I control it better now, but when I switched to Enchantress the first times, I didn't remember anything after coming back. It was like sleeping and leaving my body to somebody else, because I still felt the soreness of Her actions.”

“And now ?”

“Now it feels like sitting at the back of my mind and watching the TV. I can't do anything when She's in control, and She rarely lets me speak, but I see and know what's going on. It's a relief really. Not feeling yourself, not feeling in control it's ...”

“I get what you mean ... I- ... Becoming Poison Wisteria was painful too. I died. I know that for sure. My body died so it could adapt to the genetic changes, and coming back to life was horrible. I breath the opposite than you, my skin doesn't react the same way to the sun as it did before. And I'm not even talking about all the headaches I had every time I could feel a forest at the other end of the world burning. I had to control that high sensibility to living things, to learn when to connect and when to disconnect to plants. But I still feel them, no matter where I am, no matter if I grew them or not. I feel their pain through the distress signals they send.”

San was silent, only moving to lift Wooyoung's body a little more against his, head looking at his feet. They had been walking in a straight line, but now they had reached a wall, one road on the left and one on the right. A huge rock was there, and San noticed grass had even begun to grow around them, probably Wooyoung's doing. The younger gestured to the rock so San would let him sit on it, and his green forest eyes looked lost in thoughts when he looked up at the older.

“I think the worst part was that I only had myself to blame. Yes, it wasn't my idea, but I had agreed to it.”

Wooyoung had blamed himself for days before turning his hate onto his ex-boyfriend and teacher. He had never been one to fall head over heels for someone like he did, but his ex had been good. With words, with holding Wooyoung's breath when he was teaching his classes, with taking Wooyoung's heart bit by bit. It felt like looking at a man when you were suppose to protect something important, only for that man to be an impostor, his real self sneaking behind your back to steal that important something.

In Wooyoung's case, it had been his life, and body.

His goal since day one had been to make Wooyoung his lab rat.

He had never loved him. And that, after many thoughts, maybe what hurt the most. How he had ran away, how Wooyoung had woken up alone, and afraid of the changes his body had been feeling. The man had run away, and that's what switch lights in the lilac-haired's mind, and made him turn to the path of vengeance.

He looked at San, and knew that if he had been his teacher, Wooyoung wouldn't have gone bad. Wooyoung probably wouldn't have turned to Poison Wisteria either, considering San was unable to hurt someone if he didn't _have_ to for his survival and the ones of those he cared.

His thoughts were confirmed when San kneeled in front of him and took his hands in his, honey skin against mint one.

“I'm sorry this happened to you, I truly am. I'm not ... I'm not a scientist, so I can't understand how much of you changed, Seonghwa probably does, I'm pretty sure Yeosang doesn't because his subject of study was psychology, which means that you're still you. You might have become Poison Wisteria because your DNA changed, but deep inside, you're Jung Wooyoung. A boy invested in ecology, protesting against rotten politicians. A boy who loves his crazy best friend despite both their hunt boards, and most importantly, one who saved our lives when he could've just tried to get away and probably would've succeeded.”

Wooyoung started shaking his head to show his disagreement but San didn't let him finish.

“I'm serious. This earth wave would've killed all of us but you still had a way to save yourself and you know it.”

“Why do you say all of this ? You read my file, it's obvious, you wouldn't know that much otherwise, but why ? I can't turn back to who I was Sannie. It's not possible for me anymore, and I don't want to. I'm obnoxious, sarcastic, I hate men and women alike, I will keep fighting against human's constructions with all my body and powers if necessary. You can't make me what you are.”

“I don't want you to be. That wouldn't be you. But I don't want you to forget who you are. Seonghwa did. He completely let Killer Frost take over, and now he's nothing like the sweet boy he was before. You ? You stayed yourself. Sometimes, you let Poison Wisteria take control, and you kill people. I saw the news, the papers. You attack, but you always make sure to intoxicate the populations with products that won't kill them. I'm not saying thank you, but I'm saying ... God all of these words only for a little sentence ... I'm saying that _you're better than what you think_.”

Wooyoung was speechless. He was genuinely at loss for words, for the first time of his life. He knew what he was doing was dangerous. He had done it once before, and look where it got him ?

But every word, every feeling thrown through them, it all felt right. He felt understood, for the first time since he turned, he didn't want to kill a man for his arrogance or bold ideas. Because San wasn't trying to stop him. San wasn't trying to help him. San was only trying to encourage him, in his own, saint-like way. But it warmed Wooyoung's empty and filled with dead leaves heart, literally feeling something bloom. It wasn't love. It was too soon, and he didn't know enough, they didn't know enough about one another. They knew much yes, but it wasn't enough. For Wooyoung at least, given his past. San didn't seem to pursue the road of pouring their hearts out either and only gave a dimpled-smile, taking away a few heartbeats from Wooyoung's heart.

The lilac-haired turned his head away, hiding the emotion in his eyes behind his silvery bangs, and changed the topic :

“We have to go left. But she popped zombies a little bit everywhere in the maze, I can feel them.”

“Do you know where the others are ?”

“They're a little faster than us, Oneus especially, but I'm holding you back so it's not a surprise. I think ... Oneus, Deadshot and Agma are on our left. Black Dragon, Yeosang, Frost and Kim are on our right. But there is no way to join each other for now, the walls are too thick and we're too far.”

“We're going to make it happen.”

“What ?”

“Come !”

San kneeled again, this time presenting his back to Wooyoung, the other blinking in confusion.

“Come on !” whined San impatient.

“Are you ... you want to give me a piggy back ride ?!”

“Look, I don't have an entire military training, but Hongjoong still taught be a few things, it'll go faster than you limping and using me as a crutch !”

“I'll use you as a horse, I don't see how it's better ...”

“Wooyoung !”

“Alright alright !” he couldn't help but laugh. San was a ray of sunshine and he was used to photosynthesis, so the attraction couldn't be helped. He hopped on the other's back, once more gulping when sweet hands came under his knees to steady him, his own arms wrapping against the other's shoulder to not choke him.

“Ready ?”

“Yes.”

And San started to run with Wooyoung as his living GPS.

*

“I will fucking kill that bitch !”

Jongho rolled his eyes at the pretty vulgar outburst of Yeosang, barely dodging the sword of a zombie.

They had been separated after Wooyoung decided it would be a good idea to grow a fucking maze in the middle of the Island, and now of course, Yeosang was stuck with Jongho. If he was honest with himself, the youngest was second on the blond's list of people he wouldn't mind being stuck somewhere with, the first being Wooyoung, without surprise.

“Jongho down !”

He almost didn't obey, surprised by the use of his name, but still dropped on his knees right when Yeosang threw his bat in the head of the zombie that was annoying the black-haired, efficiently knocking him out. They only had ten to take care of this time, and they discovered they made a rather good team. The hedge corridor was narrowed - as it usually was in a _maze_ \- but they still worked things out together, Yeosang using Jongho's back at a support to roll over when they switched places to make original attacks. The youngest had the strength necessary to lift the older and make sure he wouldn't fell, Yeosang more than once laying a hand on Jongho's shoulder to steady himself as he kicked high or even threw himself on top of his enemies. Somehow, Wooyoung still seemed to have a control over the maze, because as soon as the zombies were crashing into the hedges, roots and ivies wrapped around their bodies to absorb them.

Once every zombie were dealt with, they took a moment to breath and Yeosang loaded his empty gun.

It had been ten minutes already since they had started running, going around uselessly without looking for a logical path before crashing in their first zombies' row.

“Do you think there will be more like this ?” asked Yeosang between pants.

“I don't know ... I feel sorry for Hongjoong and San, but I would rather have them deal with them next time than us.”

“That motherfucker probably popped them everywhere in the maze, it's not even safe.”

“It's a maze Yeosang, what part of it is usually safe ?!”

“It's _Wooyoung's_ maze ! For me it is ! And don't call me Yeosang !”

Jongho chuckled joylessly, ignoring the blond's dark eyes.

“What ?!”

“Changing your name is only your way to put another barrier between you and I. I gave you my name and you started using it, I think it's only fair that I do the same.”

Yeosang wanted to bite back but he knew the other was right, and it annoyed him. He thought he had found a solution, solution Jongho vocalized soon :

“Except if we give up birth names and go back to our aliases ?”

He almost agreed, but he didn't want to. He wanted to call Jongho by his name, he was the only one to do so, and for him it felt special.

“Whatever,” he stormed away, pinking up his earlier pace but walking instead of running so Jongho could follow.

What was wrong with him ? He'd normally try to fight the other, run away from him, hide to set up a trap and take him down, blaming it on the zombies when - if - they would go back to the others and going away with it because in the end, Hongjoong wouldn't have any way to kow if Yeosang was lying or not. He stopped abruptly, Jongho's laugh dying behind him as he hit the blond, making them stumble forwards a little bit. They didn't fell but Yeosang could have, if not for the strong arms wrapped around his waist and the leg slid between his own to make sure they were balanced.

“Sorry about that, you kind of surprised me. What did you stop ?”

Yeosang had to collect himself for a second, trying to remember why he was still dating the Joker before remembering that he _had_ a boyfriend and should stop having Jongho always on him. And why in hell was he the only one disturbed ?!

“Hey 'Sang !”

The nickname made the blond's head snap to Jongho, eyes widened comically but without any precise emotion in them.

“What ?” he asked sharply.

“Why did you stop ?” repeated patiently the other.

“We've been walking around aimlessly. We have to think about this strategy again.”

“We're in a maze. We've been separated. We need to find the others first and then we can think of getting out of here.”

“That's not how it works. In- In one of my classes, before I started to work at the Asylum, we ran these tests, with mice. We would put three in a maze, but none of their roads connected. Meaning they could get out, but not meet to do so. Those mice were sisters and brothers. They knew each other. One of them was lost, the other didn't even try to move, while the third one found a strategy : she decided to glue her nose - figuratively speaking - to the right side of the wall, and would only go right. It was way longer than the initial road we had figured out for her, but she still was able to come out.”

Jongho was a little surprised. Once more. Yeosang was a man full of surprise. He was pretty sure no one ever heard the blond talk about his past, whatever aspect of it that was. Nothing that didn't have the Joker in it wasn't a part of Yeosang's life anymore. He too realized that while he talked.

“So, you're suggesting that we do the same as that mouse ?”

“We have no idea where we're going. At least following a side will lead us somewhere, while running without a goal will lose us. And if we manage to get out of here and have to go help the others, we'll only need to mark our path with a knife or something and finding our way back won't be a problem. What I mean is that ... I also think we're like those three mice. I don't think our paths connect with the others. So looking for them now is useless.”

Jongho felt that Yeosang wasn't trying to trap him about the last part. It was only making sens that indeed they truly were separated, if no one had came to help them when they were fighting earlier. Without realizing, the youngest's eyes looked at Yeosang with deep intensity, and the blond almost jumped when he saw admiration in them.

“W-what ?” he was stuttering. He hadn't stuttered since middle school.

“Do you ever get to use that wonderful brain of yours ?”

“What does that mean ?!”

“You let us forget about your psychological knowledge with how crazy and thoughtless you always act.”

Yeosang swung his bat and Jongho dodge, shocked, but then he heard the crack of a jaw and saw the body of a zombie fall behind him.

“I got a PHD motherfucker,” reminded Yeosang a little displeased.

“Well, do you ever get to use that PHD now that you don't work as a psychiatrist anymore ?”

“... No.”

“Why ?”

He was tempted to answer that it was because he didn't need psychology to kill, rob bank, prepare terrorist attacks and much more, but truth be told, he did. For some plans the Joker had, Yeosang's skills would've been useful, more than once, and would've probably saved them the trouble of some minor injuries, and losing three or four men. But unfortunately ...

“He doesn't let me,” Jongho could've missed that, whispered in a breath as it had been, but he didn't. He didn't and he felt bad for Yeosang. But he didn't show it or say it. He knew it wouldn't be well received.

“Well I'm not him. So I'll follow your idea. Take the lead.”

Yeosang was startled by Jongho's choice, mouth and eyes opened in surprised, but soon replaced them by a happy smile. A shyer one. One Jongho was sure he could've seen on the blond's lips before he became Kangley Quinn.

“Let's goooo !”

Jongho could only laugh and follow the energetic blond running through the hedges, one hand brushing at the leaves on his left side.

“Why choosing left ?!” asked Jongho while they ran.

“I noticed you're left handed, am I wrong ?”

“No. How did you notice ?”

“The way you fight ! Team work is always more efficient so if I lead, I'll at least chose something that reminds me of you !”

And Jongho was really glad Yeosang was slowly giving up on the crazy to be the full of dreams boy he read about in his High School file. He only hoped it would stay this way.

*

It was getting cold. Seonghwa had frozen meters of maze in front of them when at the corner of a wall, they stumbled upon a dozen zombies. It was faster than fighting them one by one, but Hongjoong's teeth were chattering, and Seonghwa didn't seem to hurry up.

“Sorry I only cool things down, I don't warm them up.”

“I should have taken Mingi with me,” complained the younger, running a hand through his navy hair.

Behind him, the platinum-haired followed the movement.

“We didn't really got to chose. Further more, I doubt he would've been a big help.”

“At least he wouldn't have frozen me to death,” that earned Hongjoong a chuckle from Seonghwa.

The later was surprised though : he had expected the other to fight him on Mingi's usefulness, but somehow he seemed aware that the boy wasn't really using his powers since they got here.

“What's the deal with him anyway ? Born with powers, used them all his life then suddenly doesn't ?”

Mingi's story was less known than the others'. Before he surrendered to the government, his criminal activities had been kept inside his little town of Incheon, far from Seoul's Capital of crime. It wasn't a surprise he knew about them all, but they didn't know about him.

“It's not my story to tell, but he has his reasons.”

“Oh what ? Family drama, burned everyone in an excess of rage and now regrets it ?”

It was ironic. Seonghwa just threw this option without actually thinking he would hit right him. So when he bumped into Hongjoong because the smaller man had stopped, he was really confused.

“Oi, sweetheart, you alright ?”

“How dare you ?!”

Before he knew what was happening he felt himself pinned painfully on the frozen hedges, Hongjoong holding him by the collar of his coat, rifle hanging on his shoulder by the strap. The petite man was full of anger and his eyes betrayed his cold face, startling Seonghwa even more.

“Hey there cowboy-”

“Shut up ! You shut the fuck up ! How can you speak so lightly of an incident so serious ?!”

The oldest's eyes widened in understanding :

“Oh ... that ... really happened ?”

“You have no fucking idea what happened to him and how he dealt with it afterwards ! You probably don't care about your family but some people do, and despite the shit he ran down the streets, Mingi did ! He _surrendered_ unlike all of you assholes who would like better to kill than be caught !”

“And yet here we are,” whistled Seonghwa between his teeth. “You want me to cry ?! Build an altar and light up some candles for poor Song family ? Well guess what : I don't give a shit !”

It was the shock of the man's words more than the flash of white eyes that made Hongjoong drop him. He didn't back away though, staying right where he was, only a breath away from Seonghwa.

“My family gave up on me the moment I needed them the most ! You think I'm gonna pity a kid that killed his own ?! I wish I could kill mine if only I knew where those bastards went !”

“How can you say something like that ? They loved you ...”

“They did ? Oh sorry, I have a hard time believing that, considering they signed a paper stating they accepted my death when I was still alive. You know nothing about me and what I had to go through Kim Hongjoong, I thought that was clear.”

Their forehead almost touched, but Hongjoong was so bathed in hot anger he didn't feel the cold anymore.

“The same goes for you. And Mingi. Unlike you he thinks about others, he's afraid to use his powers before last time he did, he hurt people he cared about.”

“He doesn't care about any of us !”

“You don't know that !”

“Why would he ?!”

“Even if he doesn't, he's a good kid ! He never killed anybody before, even when he was running his gang all over Incheon ! He never hurt someone the way you did ...”

“It's actually disgusting how proud you sound of a kid you don't even know.”

“It means there's still hope for him. And for you.”

Seonghwa laughed at that, hard.

“Oh please, you can't seriously believe that. Two genetically modified meta-humans, a sociopath, a hit-man, a 1666 Great-London-Fire of feet, and you think you can save _me_ ?! I knew hope made men stupid, but this is a whole new level, even for you.”

He sounded so cold, so harsh. Hongjoong had never noticed now, but his voice was barely moving an octave higher than the others. Just like his face, every movement was controlled, composed, everything was reserved. Not one emotion slipped out. But looking deep inside Seonghwa's blue eyes, Hongjoong only saw his reflection. His iris really looked like they had been made from ice, and the light veins in his eyes were barely red, more a purplish, bluish color.

Did that man even had a beating heart anymore ?

Not really registering what he was doing, Hongjoong finally broke eyes contact to lay his eyes on Seonghwa's chest, right hand following his trail of thoughts. He heard the man suck in a breath when his palm rested flat on the snowflake of his suit, right on his chest, and he closed his eyes.

Seonghwa looked down at him with a mix of confusion, fear, and relief. He was fighting himself more than ever to not freeze him, but he could see the tip of Hongjoong's finger covering in a slight snow. He didn't know what the other was looking for by doing so, but he waited until he could have an explanation.

“It beats.”

That made Seonghwa breathe again. But slowly, still not trusting himself to not freeze the man over.

“There is a beating heart in there, it didn't freeze,” Hongjoong's words felt like the needles of ice Seonghwa had felt running through his veins when he opened his eyes as Killer Frost for the first time. It was like dying : his whole cells had turned cold, and he could feel every fiber of his being moving, his blood slowly turning colder and his heart beating slower, helping his skin take this very light blue/white appearance. He saw the world differently too. He could see colors, but it always felt like looking through a glass. His breathing too, had changed. Every molecule froze at the contact of his body, so he had to find a way to breath through his skin, more than his nose.

“If it beats, why do you act like you don't have it ?”

That was a very poetic and elegant way of asking why he was a heartless cold bastard. But in Hongjoong's mouth, it sounded pretty, Seonghwa would give him that.

It was true he still had a heart. But it didn't feel like he did. He never felt his heart beating, and it was a miracle Hongjoong managed to. But everything around him was frozen, he knew it. Was colder, slower. That's why he lost weight the first days of his changing. That's why he lost hearing, sight, touch, taste, scent, for a whole week before he was accustomed to the changes his body made. He felt the heat coming from Hongjoong's living body, how it would be so easy to touch him, steal all that heat and see his body growing colder, his skin loosing its tan and turning white, his shiny black eyes covering his the dull gray veil of death.

But he didn't. Not because his own life was on the line. But because something in the way Hongjoong looked at them, something in the way he talked to them, the bad guys, felt different.

“It's easier,” answered Seonghwa. Hongjoong's breath was coming out with little puffs of smoke, and they both knew it had grown colder because of the oldest's rush of emotions during the exchange, but none said anything.

“How ? You're selfish and harsh. You're mean, and you like it.”

Hongjoong finally raised his eyes back to Seonghwa's, and instead of pity, he found sadness.

“You weren't like that. You were sweet. You helped a girl once, when you were 20. Lee Yeseul, remember ?”

He did. A young girl, seven years old. Straight black hair cut at the shoulders, bangs. A sweet child.

“She had lost her mother when they got out of a church. She followed a cat, and she got lost. And she found you. Park Seonghwa, late for his first class a Monday morning, but still taking half an hour to help that little girl find her mother.”

He swallowed a huge lump in his throat. Why was Hongjoong talking about this now ?

“You were the classic boy everyone liked. You helped grandmas and grandpas cross the streets, you went at church too. Grade A student, turned his high studies, parents and family proud. Never invested in relationships, until ...”

Until the asshole that turned him into a mess, and made Seonghwa do mistakes he would've never done before.

“You can't be heartless like this Seonghwa. You don't deserve to be,” the oldest had closed his eyes, feeling his usual mechanical defense that was Killer Frost fighting his way up to take control and shove Hongjoong away. “Mingi lost people he loved.”

“And I lost someone I loved too,” shit. Hongjoong's eyes widened when Seonghwa opened his eyes and met with crystal iris, hair white and face expressionless. He felt a sudden burn on his hand and jolted away, shaking now that the cold was getting really really dangerous around him.

“Seonghwa please-”

“That's not going to work. You see, I'm here to take control when he feels threatened.”

That only shocked Hongjoong even more. Had he managed to pierce through the many layers of ice the other had built up around his self ?

“You have no idea what we had to go through.”

“You're not the only one who suffered !”

“Wisteria and Deadshot chose their fates. Agma chose to be weak and lose control over his powers. Kangley chose to jump in those chemicals and become the Joker's harlequin. Seonghwa didn't choose any of what happened to him ! He had to support it all ! That man promised him the moon ! He was nice and gentle, and Seonghwa was always on the side at University, never the one to talk to people. Everyone loved him but no one befriended him ! And so the teacher thought _what a good idea it would be to help the shy student, wouldn't it ?,_ and then, _let's give him up_ !”

Slowly, Hongjoong was the one to retract and Frost to move forwards, reversing their earlier position and pinning the smaller on the hedges. He felt really small all of a sudden; his breath coming out in puffs of smoke.

“You can't understand what it's like, to pour your heart to someone, to open up and let them come in, only for them to stab you in the back. He made me believe it was mutual, made me believe he loved be the same way I loved him ... but no. I was a charity case for him. Nothing more, nothing less. He felt pity for me, to see me alone,” Seonghwa had came back. Killer Frost was only there an instant and Hongjoong had seen himself froze to death, but now the temperature was going back to normal again.

“Seonghwa, I know I can't understand, but you're not the only one who suffered because of it. You chose to let Killer Frost take control, because for you it was easier to feel nothing, than to feel the other's pain, but Wooyoung was betrayed too. Yeosang is fighting himself in a toxic relationship. And I ... I can't relay on the same level you did, because the love I had was ripped away from me. But this isn't about me. This is about you, and Mingi, and the others, and the Team. You can be at each other's throat, hate us, think we hate you and wish to kill us but- ... don't close yourself to people again. That's what got you in this situation in the first place, isn't it ?”

Fuck Kim Hongjoong. Seonghwa cursed him, Killer Frost cursed him. They cursed each other too. Opening up wasn't a good idea. He wasn't ready to let anyone in, even if it was just for a friendship. It was too fresh, too hurtful yet.

“Some of us deserve second chances, I see your point,” he saw hope light up in Hongjoong's eyes, and felt almost bad to crush it. “But I am not of those people. Mingi and Yunho both decided to let fear take over them, and it's yet a miracle Yunho still pulls the trigger. But we won't be able to leave Mingi in hiding any longer. If he doesn't react, he'll get us killed. And I still have business to attend to.”

Face devoided of emotions, but also turning away so he wouldn't have to face Hongjoong, Seonghwa resumed their walking, leaving an ice trail behind himself in case they went in circle.

Hongjoong watched him go, a single tear making its way down his cheek. He should have known he wouldn't be able to save them all. To _help_ them all. He knew he probably didn't have the right method. And he knew it was probably useless, because only Yunho and Mingi truly wanted a second chance in life, but he couldn't help his heart ache for Seonghwa. Because they didn't have it easy, and people like Hongjoong were always quick to judge and condemn without their plates full of informations.

But deep down, he couldn't help the feeling that begged him to not give up on the cold man. That he too, could crack. He doubted it, seriously. But he also knew better than to ignore his inner voices, and so silently, he followed Seonghwa, weapon back in his hand, ready to defend.

*

Yunho and Mingi had gone way slower. They weren't feeling safe at all - and they were right - and they both knew very well that one of them wouldn't be very useful if they got attacked.

“Do you know how to use a gun ?” asked the taller.

The red-haired shook his head, but was still gifted of a weapon in his hand.

“You take the security off like this,” Yunho demonstrated on his own gun with a little clicking sound, “you aim, and you shoot. Easy.”

“Why giving me this ?”

“You are defenseless and I can't assure your safety without knowing what's coming for us and from where. We're in a maze, so everything can happen ...”

Yunho didn't mention his refusal to use his powers, didn't insult him like Wooyoung did, and didn't ask any questions. He liked Yunho for that. He looked at Mingi the same way Hongjoong had : with hope for him. But unlike Hongjoong, the older knew what is was like to carve for a second chance, Yunho felt the same way about his own life. If he could, he'd probably go back and never start his job as a hit-man in the first place.

As previously said, Mingi had been a little bit off everything that happened in the rest of South Korea, and so he couldn't help his curiosity :

“I'm really sorry to ask that, I don't know much about any of you but ... I can tell you're different than them.”

Yunho tensed, but kept walking. He was a little bit in front of Mingi, and he only needed to turn his head on the right to hide his face.

“Really ?”

“You're not ... as aggressive ? Yeah ... You're not looking for the violence, you kind of roll with the punches, clench your teeth and keep your head low. I don't see you as the kind to pick a fight like Kangley, or defend a great cause like Poison Wisteria. You're not a seeker of vengeance like Killer Frost either. You're ... y-you're too sweet for that ...”

Yunho understood where Mingi came from, but he was done with people trying to excuse his actions. He was done with people trying to corner him when they didn't know shit about him.

“I don't think you understood the situation very well ... I killed people Mingi. I killed them. For money. I killed fathers, brothers, husbands, sons ... bastards, all of them, but that doesn't clean the board. I killed them and there's nothing that can take it back from me. My mother, my brother, they'll always know that I am a murderer. I'm not sweet. I'm worst than the people who hired me.”

Mingi had stopped in his track, mouth open. He was quick to shake his head and run in front of Yunho, both hands on his arms. He didn't even realized he was touching the man, not even when Yunho shot surprised glances to his hands.

“No you're not ! Yunho you did it for them ! You needed money, they needed money and you only wanted to help them !”

“Normal kids that want to help their family go looking for a job in a grocery store or a gaz station. I went looking for Mafia leaders and rotten Governors.”

“You knew they'd pay you better !”

“Mingi ! It is neither explainable nor excusable ! I chose this, I chose to be on the road of killing ! No one would want to know someone killed for them ! No one in their right mind !”

Yunho wasn't angry at him, he just wanted the younger to understand that none of them were like him. None of them were as harmless.

“If I had been given a choice about all of this ... I still would've taken a gun back. I would've came. I know we might have to kill that guy at some point and I don't mind being the one to pull the trigger.”

He did something unexpected and took the red-haired in his arms, body shaking with pain but tears kept in his eyes.

“I'm not what you want me to be. Keep Hongjoong as your savior. I'm not as bad as the others, maybe. But I'm not as good as you. I won't be that ... but we can be friends ?”

It seemed so unrealistic. Yunho was literally screaming murder on himself a second before and now he was coming at Mingi like a teenager ? It made a gentle smile appear on the other's lips. If the older didn't want to see that he was not seeking violence as much as he thought, then Mingi would make him understand.

“Sure. If you can't help me figure things out, at least support me when I do ?”

“Definitely. You of all people deserve to see you can do better. A cute face like yours doesn't belong behind bars,” he smirked and Mingi turned as red as his hair.

“That was terrible flirting you fucker.”

“Yet it worked, didn't it ?” Yunho had a big smile and eyes shining bright, and Mingi could only think of one word : _puppy_. It made his eyes fall into crescents and his lips widen in a wide smile, before they both jumped at a very loud sound that sounded like an explosion.

Both of them had the reflex to lower themselves at the surprising sound, Yunho identifying it a second later :

“Was that a grenade ?”

“Oh fuck didn't it came from where Oneus is suppose to be ?” asked Mingi eyes widened.

Yunho's eyes widened too and they both exchanged a look before they broke into a run at the same time. They didn't know how they would find the soldiers, but they didn't think about it now, focusing more on getting as close from the sound as possible. Somehow they must've known they would need some, because they soon heard a firing sound followed by a red trail lightening the darkening sky ; a flare gun.

Yunho and Mingi only hurried faster, not even thinking carefully about the directions they took, hesitating barely a second at an intersection before either of them took the other by the arm and resumed the running.

They weren't as far as they thought, and they soon heard a scream that sounded much like Keonhee's, and Mingi cursed. Yunho stopped when the fighting and guns noises were right next to them.

“They're on the other side ! Ravn ! Hwanwoong !”

The fighting never paused but they heard one of the guns stopped firing.

“Deadshot ?! Mingi ?!”

“It's Hwanwoong !” said the red-haired. “Yes it's us !”

“Oh thank God ! The zombies are coming at us and they're way too much ! Keonhee got hurt when trying to protect Seoho !”

“How bad is it ?” asked Yunho, Mingi trying to find a breach through the hedges.

“He got hit in the shoulder and we were able to stop the bleeding but he needs a little more than just cloth on the wound right now ! He can't shoot his gun anymore and we're running low on bullets ! They don't let us reload !”

Mingi cursed again, unable to find a breach. Of course he couldn't because Wooyoung's power was stable and strong, and he started to panic. Coming to close to the hedges would be dangerous for the zombies and not them, but it sounded like Oneus was surrounded.

Yunho had understood that too and turned to Mingi with a face the other didn't trust at all.

“I don't have anything that can destroy those hedges without killing them, and us,” Mingi's heart skipped a beat when he understood. Yunho's face betrayed the guilt he felt from asking the red-haired to use his power, but the situation was desperate and needed quick action.

“You have your knife can't we try and cut the hedges ?” Mingi was already feeling the fire building up in the hollow of his palms, and rubbed them against his jeans.

“It will take too long, they'll die before we get to them !” Yunho was trying hard to not press him but the situation was getting worst by the second and Mingi's hesitations wasn't helping one bit.

“Guys !” this time it was Ravn and he sounded very much distressed.

“Mingi please, you can do good, you only need to focus and not let it take control over you. They're _your_ powers ! _You_ control them !”

Oh if only Yunho knew how wrong he was ... but Mingi couldn't tell him or he'd lose his trust and friendship and so he let his eyes turn a burning red, hands catching flames and turned to the hedges. He saw every heat signature behind the plant wall, and yelled :

“Everybody get down !”

Oneus didn't even question the order and dropped on their knees, Yunho stepping away from Mingi right when the later raised his hands and let out burning spears from his hands. The mercenary watched in awe how the younger's skin was glowing white under the high light of his flames, all his veins appearing a flashy red under his honey skin. Even on his neck and around his eyes, the veins had gotten lighter and visible.

The fire burned right through the hedges and caught by surprised the zombies that had came from behind Oneus, before Mingi oriented his hands towards the one that had ambushed them from the front, efficiently turning them into ashes, their lower body the only thing that remained. Oneus had to fall further, laying on the ground to make sure they wouldn't get burned accidentally.

The fire was so strong and hot that it burned the hedges' wall on three layers after the one that had separated the boys.

Mingi stopped after he was sure no zombies was left alive, hands dropping at his side and panting, forehead covered in sweat and hands burning hot at the touch. His whole body actually, and Yunho flinched when Mingi smacked the hand he wanted to lay on his shoulder away. His body was literally fuming. 

“Sorry but you'll burn yourself. I need to cool down,” he wasn't looking at the blond when he talked, eyes fixed on the ground. Yunho nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat and went to check on Oneus.

“Leedo ! Xion !”

“We're alright,” said the later in a grunt, raising on his feet with Leedo's and Ravn's help. Hwanwoong was by Seoho's side looking out for Keonhee, and Yunho approached them.

“Shit, it's bleeding again,” said the smaller male. He went in his bag-pack looking for anything that could help, but he didn't have anything to stitch the wound. “Oh hell I don't have a needle, does anyone have one ?”

Only negative answers came back but Mingi stepped forwards, following Yungho's steps through the burned door he had opened in the hedges.

“We need to cauterize the wound,” he kneeled too and looked Hwanwoong for approbation.

The later didn't seem to fond of the idea but they didn't have any other way to heal it for now.

“Do it,” they all turned to Keonhee, whom was doing rather well. He had turned a little pale but it was nothing too worrying for a spear wound right through the shoulder.

Hwanwoong nodded to Mingi and they exchanged places, the soldier cutting a strap from his boots to place it between Keonhee's teeth.

“Bite on that if it gets too much,” the brown-haired boy nodded at that, eyes already losing their focus from blood loss.

Leedo and Ravn got on each side to make sure he wouldn't move to much, placing Keonhee in a laying position, Hwanwoong and Xiong grabbing his thighs, Seoho staying at his side with a hand locked in his. Mingi's hand had cooled down so he had to warm it up a little bit, only focusing on his palm and not his fingers, and once it was hot enough, he pressed it hard on Keonhee's shoulder, cupping the limb with his fingers. He did jolted, and Yunho had to came help the boys with the wounded's legs, a muffled scream echoing in their minds. Seoho's face was blank, his hard features making it easy for him to appear unbothered but deep inside, his heart ached for the boy.

Keonhee fainted right after Mingi removed his hand, the black shirt worn by the soldier ruined by burning mark around the already ripped part of the cloth.

“Thank you,” said Hwanwoong a little out of breath.

“It's nothing,” replied Mingi.

“You could've chosen to let him die and not risk getting your head explode,” pointed out the silver-haired. “It's something.”

He didn't reply and it didn't seem the soldier was waiting for one anyway. He went to his men and they shared Keonhee's weapon before deciding they would take him on their back, military style through their shoulder.

“We have to find the others,” said Yunho, eying a silent Mingi with worry while he addressed Xion.

“Definitely. It was too light for us to feel it, but our seismic captors caught weird activities near Koenegitto's grave.”

“Shit ...”

“You don't say. The best way to get out of a maze is to follow one side of the wall and always go to this side,” stepped in Hwanwoong.

“So you suggest we do that ?”

“I do. It's our best shot and also the only one we have.”

Yunho nodded and strapped his rifle on his back, settling for his gun while they were still in a restricted area. Oneus did the same, and Mingi closed the march behind them. Hwanwoong noticed this and slowed down his pace so he was almost at the other's level.

“I read you file Mingi. I know you don't like to use your power, and that's why I really want you to know I'm grateful for it. You did it twice, not even to save your own skin but ours, when the only thing you probably have in mind is killing us.”

They weren't looking at each other, focusing on not getting surprised.

“That's not what I have in mind no. I don't like violence. Not anymore at least. Violence is not a good way to solve anything but I understood it too late. Killing you wouldn't get me anywhere. Seonghwa and Yeosang might see it as a way to get things done, Wooyoung as something he will do if necessary, Yunho as the only way to gain money ... but I don't. Hongjoong ... he made me agreed to this, even if I didn't have a choice, he made me feel like I did. And he believes that I can do and be better, despite the horrible things I've done.”

Hwanwoong had a dry chuckle but still fond one.

“That's our Colonel yeah. He did the same for us. We ... Especially me. We all had a hard time We're the 4th generation of kids stolen by the government to make their armies of killing machines, and if it wasn't for Hongjoong, we'd probably have died a while ago. He took us under his wings, exactly like he did for you.”

Mingi felt that there was more behind the story than just that, but Hwanwoong didn't make it sound like he would say more, so he didn't either.

“I just want to prove him right,” he just said.

“I understand. We fight everyday with that motto in mind as well. You can and will prove him right Mingi. Using your powers won't change that. He expects you to.”

“I know.”

*

A few corridors away, San had set Wooyoung down after the younger said he felt better, and they had been walking quietly for a while until the lilac-haired gasped, catching San's attention on him.

The black-haired's eyes widened when he saw Wooyoung's face contorted with pain, mouth opening to let out a silent scream that turned into a real one, both hands on his chest, fingers clawing at his skin, bending in half and falling on his knees.

“Wooyoung !”

He didn't understand what was happening. Maybe the other had been lying about his condition but it didn't look as serious as that before !

“Hey hey hey, what's going on ?!” San caught Wooyoung before he could feel, the later panting and a tear rolling down his cheek.

“My babies, someone's hurting my babies-” he got cut by another scream of pain, body tensing in San's arms, the older looking at him powerless. Wooyoung seemed to have a deeper connection that he thought, even if earlier with the dying field was anything to go by. When the plants hurting where the ones he grew, it seemed to hurt him as if he was the one being hurted directly. The black-haired was frustrated that he couldn't understand how Wooyoung felt, leading to him unable to help him, and so he called Enchantress. Too caught up in pain Wooyoung didn't see the change, but gasped when a cold gray hand was pressed against his forehead.

Enchantress' eyes were closed, and their brows were furrowed, slowly making their way into Wooyoung's mind. It didn't have any effect on the lilac-haired, until the pain started to fade away. Another wave came and hit hard, but quicker than the last one, and Wooyoung's mind started to make assumptions when he felt San's own body flinch and gasp of pain. It happened during another minute and then it stopped, both of them left panting and wincing from phantom pain as they stood up. Enchantress let San came back, and Wooyoung stared at the black-haired.

“What did you do ?” there was no accusation, just genuine confusion and curiosity.

“Enchantress is an empath. She can feel other's pain and even take some away to feel it as Her own.”

“Is it what just happened ?” useless question, but Wooyoung needed to hear word for word that San just willingly shared an unknown pain with him.

“Yes. You were hurting and it was the only way I had to help you.”

“Why ?”

San's features softened.

“We've been over this Wooyoung. Why would I let you be in pain ?”

The lilac-haired didn't answer and straightened himself.

“Do you know what happened ?”

“Agma. He burned some of the hedges to help Oneus. They were in trouble and needed his and Deadshot's help.”

“So they found each other ?”

“They did.”

“We have to hurry, do you think you can run after this or should I give you another ride ?” smirked the older.

“Two can play this game,” smirked Wooyoung back, arching a perfect brow.

San didn't lose his smile when Wooyoung broke in a run at his side, knowing where to go thanks to his plants. He only laughed, explosion of high pitch sound echoing in the air, before following behind the lilac-haired, almost catching up to him.

They didn't encounter zombies once, for their great relief, and were closer to the end than they thought, Wooyoung stopping abruptly after taking a turn, San bumping into him and making them fall. Of course because law of gravity weren't as normal as that, Wooyoung didn't fell face on but on his back while San had both elbows on each side of his face and his knees around his hips.

Both were surprised and the lilac-haired rolled his eyes at the cliché, a sweet smile playing on his full lips.

“Aren't we going a little fast ? You should at least ask me to diner first, don't you think ?”

San stuttered to answer and even turned a little pink, Wooyoung bursting out in laugher for the first time since they met, eyes closing and body shaking, hyena sounds reaching San's ears, but it was the best sound he ever heard.

Wooyoung stopped laughing after a while, finally noticing San's heavy gaze on him.

“What is it ? Move ! Don't stay frozen like this !”

“Your laugh is beautiful ... just like you.”

It came out before San could stop himself and his and Wooyoung's eyes widened, the lilac-haired's even flashing a little bit of panic and San was quick to stand up and help the younger do the same.

“Sorry I didn't think before speaking hu- .. let's .... go ? Yeah let's go and- Oh ! Look ! The exit !”

San's voice was partially surprised and relieved, clearly using the opportunity that was given to him to escape from the awkward situation, and Wooyoung stayed staring at his own hedges before he shook his head and caught up with the boy.

They were both pleasantly surprised to see the whole team together when they exited, minus Seonghwa and Hongjoong. Everyone talked about what had happened, and Wooyoung eyed Keonhee still unconscious on the ground.

“They must still be inside,” said Jongho, referring to the Colonel and Killer Frost.

“Do they have any idea how to get out of a maze ?” asked Yeosang, checking his nails, one elbow resting on his bat.

“Hwanwoong knew so Hongjoong must too, right ?” answered Mingi, turning to the smaller man.

“He does. I just hope Killer Frost didn't do anything to him ...”

“I value my life, _kid_ ,” everyone turned to see Seonghwa emerging from the maze, Hongjoong following him with a lost-in-thoughts face. “Your precious tiny Colonel is _fine_.”

The level of sass was exceptional but no one pointed it out. Yeosang eyed everyone and understood that he and Jongho weren't the only ones that had a little heart to heart while in the maze, and he took his time to try and see how things had evolved.

He knew Mingi had to use his powers to help Oneus, cheered by Yunho, and that seemed to make the tallest blond guilty and the red-haired unhappy, despite knowing he saved people. And so there he was standing, arms crossed, unaware of Yunho's glance on his back.

Then Wooyoung and San, that seemed avoiding each other's gaze but not presence, Yeosang cocking a brow at how close they were. Almost attached at the hip if you asked him. Clearly some things had been said too, and everything in the way they stood led to one another. Yeosang made a mental note to kidnap his best friend and ask him about it as soon as he could.

He and Jongho had stayed together too, not as close as the two others, but Yeosang would clearly be relying on the younger from now on, and he cursed at himself for being so weak about the situation.

Seonghwa and Hongjoong on the other hand ... it looked more like a worsening than a progress. Hongjoong kept sending looks to a cold Seonghwa, whose point was now to avoid everything from the Colonel, be it his eyes, body, or even voice considering how he winced when Hongjoong talked :

“I'm glad to see everyone is alive, in the absence of uninjured. How is he doing ?” he was addressing Oneus, and so Seonghwa went behind Wooyoung and San, as the opposite of him.

“Fine, but we had to cauterize the wound and he couldn't support it,” answered Xion. “We need to get him back to safety as soon as possible, so he can heal from the burn and the wound.”

“I have herbs than can help to heal the burn wound,” stepped in Wooyoung, a handful of _vulnerable anthyllis_ ready. He rubbed them against the wound, careful to not touch Keonhee's skin, and then produced some Aloe Vera gel he poured on the yellow petals. Seoho applied it, as Wooyoung couldn't, and Ravn fixed everything in a bandage.

“It will help the process of healing and will hydrate the skin,” informed Wooyoung.

Standing up he crossed San's fond eyes, and he tensed, knowing that in his eyes, San threw back at Wooyoung every nice words. He was proving San that he could do good like San had said. Yeosang didn't miss anything from the exchange, even when his best friend gulped and looked away. Hongjoong thanked him and checked on his pad.

“I really hope it won't be much further, I want to sleep,” whined Yeosang loudly.

“Well then you'll be happy, we're here.”

Everyone's head snapped up, making them look like a bunch of meerkats. The end of the maze had led to the Hallasan's feet, and right where to ground started to be uneven and twisted because of the side of the volcano, a squarish hole was rather visible. Hongjoong approached it and kneeled, and a little scanner device was revealed. He took a glove off and pressed his hand against the device, probably scanning his fingerprints and identity, because the next second not only did the device turned green, but the door of the bunker opened. Hongjoong called inside, and soon two distinct shapes came out from the dark to the light, and all the bad guys' turned white.

“Oh you must be fucking kidding me.”


	6. Episode 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the what, these last few days have been crazy (between catching a cold right before Uni started again and moving a little bit everywhere, I'm still glad that my classes don't start before the end of the month so I'll be able to keep writing and probably finish this fanfic before October !)  
> This chapter is a little bit smaller than the others - only 6k words (6759 to be precise) - but I hope you won't mind and will like it just as much ! The next two chapters will be quieter as I said before, especially the next one, and it will also be quite hot, so be ready ;)  
> I'm currently wiritng the eight chapter, and with how things are going it might be the last chapter before the epilogues, I'll let you know later, but with this fifth chapter we're getting closer to the end Atinys ...
> 
> For now I hope you'll like this chapter ! 
> 
> Enjoy !

“What the fuck are you doing here ?” Seonghwa's eyes turned icy cold, face hard and contorted in anger.

He wasn't the only one. Except for Oneus, San and Jongho, all the others were livid and turned emotionless upon seeing whom came out of the bunker and whom they had saved.

“Save your cold bite for someone else Frost,” replied Amanda Waller, not bothered by the cold gaze she received, walking in her pitch black suit, a suitcase in hand.

She was followed by South Korea's President, Moon Jae-In. The man looked clearly less comfortable around the Suicide Squad then Waller did, sticking to the woman but keeping a straight face.

“Extraction complete,” said Hongjoong in his monitor. “Phase two. Evacuation.”

“The evacuation will be taken care of by another team,” suddenly said Amanda, making Oneus, the Chois and Hongjoong look at her with widened eyes.

“But that was our mission. What are we doing now ? Your safety needs to be insured,” protested Leedo.

“Oh I'm not so sure. We struggled to come all the way up here, I say we let them struggle to go down,” threw Yeosang, bat swung on his shoulder, head tilted on the side. His eyes were widened but his lips bore a big smile, his favorite expression when being threatening. It didn't seem to work on Amanda whom just stepped forwards to the boy.

“I'll be glad to struggle as well and put two or three bullets in that Bitch Goddess' minion, but my role is a little more important than just the one of an extra.”

Everyone heard the noise Yeosang's teeth made when he clenched his jaw, and Jongho couldn't look at the scene anymore.

“What's our new assignment ? I take it you didn't change Teams just because you felt like it,” sighed Hongjoong, a hand running in his wild navy hair.

Amanda didn't answer and took another pad out, shoving it in the Colonel's hands.

“The science Teams alongside the History teachers of Seoul University provided us with precious informations. The archaeologist became more important than he was. I'm going to need you to neutralize him without killing him.”

“What ? Why and how ?” asked San.

“Halmag rushed the wakening process a little bit since you crashed on the Island. Jeon Jaeng became the last lock that will free Koenegitto from his seal. As to _how_ well ... that's your call.”

“Wait, back in the days a God could only be unleashed if there was a human sacrifice-,” Jongho cut himself when he realized the situation. Everyone was silent while it sinked in them too, and Seonghwa was the first to speak :

“So what you want us to go on a Suicide Mission ? The Goddess is awakened and will certainly not let Jeon out of Her sight. It's almost impossible to go up there and take him down without killing him !”

“You are a Suicide Squad. Do what you were brought here to do and stop whining like a child. You don't have better to do anyway do you ?”

Seonghwa turned into Killer Frost mode and started stepping towards the woman but Hongjoong was quick to shove the pad in San's hands and run right in front of the taller man, hands on his shoulder.

“No Seonghwa stop.”

“Let him come Kim, two can play.”

Hongjoong felt Seonghwa freeze under his palms and he turned his head to see Amanda showing her phone with the same board he had on his arm. The one with all their nano-bombs' activation buttons.

“Let's play,” threatened Amanda one more time, looking at all of them to make sure her point was made.

The Colonel felt a wave of guilt clench his heart, Mingi's words coming back to him. He had sworn he'd protect them and that they wouldn't need to put themselves in danger more than they already had, but he wasn't the one with the biggest car out there, and so he couldn't say anything.

“Is there a way to undo what's been done ?” he asked.

“What do you mean ?”

“He became the human sacrifice, it means he's been marked right ? That's how they did it ? So it there a way to undo the marking ?”

Amanda seemed to consider the option, half-expecting it to be useless so she could send the bad guys to the slaughterhouse.

“Where is the History team ?”

Another silence. They finally seemed to realize only Amanda and the President had came out alive, not even looked upon by their guards. The bunker's door closed, and Hongjoong breathed out :

“The fuck did you do Amanda ?”

“Damage control.”

“Oh fuck, and they say we're the bad guys ? What a fucking joke,” scoffed Wooyoung, eyes narrowed and disgust written all over his face.

“You're no better than us,” spit Mingi.

“And yet I'm the one on the good side of the trigger. Choi, try to find something with Enchantress, make Her be useful for once.”

San's face fell as if she had slapped him, but he nodded, head low like a kicked puppy. Wooyoung was ready to reply but Yeosang's hand on his wrist stop him and he bit the inside of his cheeks. San didn't deserve to be spoken like this by a woman that was as bad as them.

Fortunately, Wooyoung had understood he could count on Hongjoong :

“Enchantress has been plenty useful Amanda. Don't doubt my soldiers without evidence. The area is secured, you and the President should go down the Hallasan if you don't want more casualties to follow. We'll start moving for the mission.”

Amanda eyed him and seemed to think of something to answer, but even if she was the Boss, Hongjoong's words were stronger and sacred to everyone behind him, and she knew she wouldn't win this fight.

“I hope your chopper will crash too,” said Yunho when she turned on her heels.

She didn't answer and kept going. Once they were back to the initial Team, it fell in a weird silence. They knew this situation was coming. They all had a bad feeling about this shit hole and they knew their instincts never betrayed them but they all hoped it wouldn't come to that. They all did.

“Let's take a small break. Night is falling and we'll soon lose a lot of advantages we have with the sun, so let's rest while we can and figure out our next move.”

Wooyoung lowered his head, knowing he would be weaker after the sun would set. He followed Yeosang but his eyes never left San's figure, the later sitting with crossed-legs and calling Enchantress for a little bit of research. Oneus was focused on making sure Keonhee was alright, the boy stirring awake a little, and the others were a little bit everywhere. Hongjoong and Jongho were looking at the pad given by Amanda, locating the area they'd need to attack as the little plateau right in front of the Hallasan's mouth.

“You know my powers won't be as effective if we're as near as the volcano as that ?” Seonghwa was also participating in his own way, which was arms crossed and resting bitch-face.

“It's not like we have a choice, it's where he is,” pointed out the Colonel.

“Or ...” Seonghwa took the pad and moved the map around a little. “We could try and set a trap so he'd come a little closer to us, so neither me and Wooyoung would be like dead-weights.”

“Even without your powers neither of you would be dead-weights.”

“I don't have Yeosang's fighting skills,” cut in the lilac-haired.

“I don't either but I do have fighting skills,” replied Seonghwa.

“It's not a bad idea actually, it'll be easier for everyone. Even I risk to kill all of us if I use my powers so high on the mountain,” informed Jongho, brows furrowed.

Yeosang looked at him deeply, fascinated by the other's focused face. He watched the little folds on his forehead, the way his dark hair shined with golden locks under the sunset, and he remembered their previous conversation.

_I'll follow your idea. Take the lead._

It was the last thing Yeosang had expected from the young hero. Never in the world would he thought he'd be trusted by one of the good guys. Yet, Jongho had told him he'd follow, Jongho had let him do as he wanted and Yeosang couldn't remember the last time someone had trusted him like this. Joker had never did. He only used Yeosang to do the dirty work when he felt to lazy to do it himself, and threw the blond under the bus every time he risked being caught, and the last time was the last too many. He had given up on him all together, never once tried to contact him in months of imprisonment and if he knew about Yeosang's suicide mission, he didn't do anything to let him know he'd come to save him.

Had Joker crossed a line over his name already ? Maybe he'd try to save Yeosang at some point, only because he'd need him as a sacrifice once more, and like an idiot, the blond would go back to him running and threw himself at the other's feet.

Yeosang had never been one to kneel to a man ... that is until he met the Joker.

“Hey, you alright ? I can hear you think from over there,” said Wooyoung, shoving his elbow in his ribs to catch his intention. It snapped Yeosang out of his thoughts and his eyes left Jongho's face.

“I don't know.”

“Is it about the Joker again ?”

_Again._ Since they had started as bad guys, they had sticked together like the best friends they were. Wooyoung had slowly seen his friend lose to madness and submit to the biggest scum he ever witnessed, all of that without being able to do anything to stop it. He had tried to warn Yeosang about Joker, had tried to tell him ... It was too late already.

“You were right,” only said the blond.

Wooyoung rose a confused brow and let his friend talk :

“When I became Kangley Quinn ... you told me that he wouldn't be good for me ... That he wouldn't treat me right, but I didn't want to believe you. You weren't the best example for me ...”

The lilac-haired sighed, knowing he had been in a really bad place to lecture Yeosang about his relationship right after having been turned into a plant by his ex.

“But things are not as different for you as they were for me.”

“I know. I see it now. The same shit happened. You loved him and trusted him, and he did this to you. I trust and love Joker, and he does this to me. You had gone through this, I should have listened ...”

Wooyoung turned to look at his friend for the first time since the conversation started and saw a cold face but eyes reflecting so many emotions.

“What are you saying Yeosang ?”

“I want to believe that he loves me, and that he'll use the opportunity we have right now to come and save me, to bring me back ... I want to believe all of that but I ... I can't ... not anymore ... not when I don't want him to do so anymore ...”

“Yeo ... are you saying you're giving up on him ?”

The blond took a deep breath and turned to look at a clueless Jongho. Wooyoung didn't think of it as something important yet, and only looked at the small group too.

“I don't know what I'm saying. But I can't live alone, I'm not this type of person ... I know it, it's one of my problems. I'm incapable of living alone.”

“I'm sure you can. You only need to believe it yourself Yeosang, that's what you always told be when we applied for college remember ? It was so hard and we were so young. Everyone was telling you it'd be impossible for you to graduate this early and yet you did. You proved them wrong. I think it's time for you to prove _yourself_ wrong.”

Yeosang had a chuckle and blinked a few times to chase the incoming tears, refusing to appear weak in this situation. Wooyoung wasn't done with him though, and carefully, he asked :

“Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled that you finally opened your eyes but ... what changed your mind ?”

“What ?”

“We talked about it literally a few hours ago. You refused to drop the Joker. Something changed that, what is it ?”

Yeosang knew all the tricks about staying stern and not giving away any informations to an ennemy. That's why he wasn't surprised when he consciously eyed Jongho, making it very obvious for his friend to understand.

“ ... it's not something, it's someone, right ? You and Black Dragon, you were trapped in the maze together weren't you ?”

Yeosang knew he was fucked but he tried to brush it off by laughing fake and moving his hands :

“Pff no, what are you saying ? I mean yes we were in the maze together but we didn't have any conversation whatsoever, really like, no idea what you're referring to he's a hero prick what do you want me to do with that ?”

He had the face of someone definitely trying to avoid selling himself out but Wooyoung looking at him with a raised brow made his face fall.

“Look, nothing happened alright ? Words were thrown maybe, but I'm not looking for another stone to grab on.”

“That's not what I'm saying. I'm glad if he was able to say something to you that I couldn't,” shrugged Wooyoung standing up when he saw the others starting to move.

“Jong-” Yeosang froze in his movement and caught the lilac-haired surprised face.

“You know his name ?!”

“He gave it to me, shit please don't say anything ! Don't let the others know !”

Wooyoung smirked, but not in a dangerous way - for Yeosang - at least. He coked a hip on the side and laid a hand on it.

“Oh so first name basis and you're suddenly not in for using his name against him ? What happened to you Mister Kang ?”

“Shut it,” growled the blond, shoving playfully Wooyoung on the shoulder with his bat.

They went to the little group of three, the soldiers turning to them.

“We might have figured something out,” was Hongjoong's catch phrase.

“We're all ears,” smiled Yunho, elbow on Mingi's shoulder.

“I found a way to undo Jeon's sacrificial marking. It's an old version of it, but it's rather easy to take care of. The thing is, it doesn't take only five minutes,” said San.

“So we'll have to be a distraction ?” asked Mingi.

“All of us will. Only Leedo, Keonhee and Ravn will stay by his side to protect San while he proceeds. The rest of us will have to hold bigger fishes,” said Jongho.

“Oh you mean the Goddess size fish ?” sarcastically threw Wooyoung.

“How much time do you need ?” cut Yeosang, eyes on San.

The boy looked back at the book in his hand and at the pad in Hongjoong's, and looked up at the blond :

“It's going to take me at least half an hour.”

“Half an hour ?!”

“If everything goes according to plan yes.”

“If you're interrupted what are the consequences ?” Seonghwa finally stepped in and he looked thoughtful.

“I won't have to start all over again but he might die if he's left alone for more than a minute. If we're separated I'll have to be able to go back to him extremely quickly. Normally, it takes five seals to activate the sacrificial mark. But when it feels the vessel being attacked, the seals are automatically activated.”

“They activate one after the other ?” wondered Wooyoung.

“Normally yes. One every hour.”

“Shit how many seals are activated yet ?” asked Yunho.

“If my reading is correct and the pad showing us real time images, three.”

“Fuck !”

“The fourth has yet to be activated, the moon is rising and another hour will end soon,” pointed out Leedo.

“We have to hurry the hell up then. What's the plan ? If I understood correctly the asshole is definitely not where we want him, so ?” Yeosang swung his bat around, ready.

“I'm going to need Mingi and Jongho to go first, the closest they can to the volcano's edge without actually dying.”

“We can't use our powers there,” reminded Mingi. No one commented at how he mentioned that he too would use his powers, and Hongjoong showed them on the pad a sort of graphic map of the volcano's plateau.

“We need you to only push him a little closer to the forest. Once it's done, Wooyoung will finish the work by throwing him off to San.”

“It's that easy ?”

“You're all forgetting Halmang. That's where we arrive. Seonghwa and Poison - once he's done with Jeon - will distract the Goddess. She'll probably send zombies like she did earlier to attack us, and retrieve Jeon. Oneus, Deadshot, Quinn and I will take care of those.”

“What will we do once we've sent Jeon in Wooyoung's trap ?” asked Mingi.

“Join Seonghwa to fight the Goddess. We don't know what her powers are, and the whole Island is under Her control so we'll have to be extremely careful to where we step.”

“Why do I feel like shit's going to happen ...” mumbled Wooyoung, letting himself fall against Yeosang.

“Because shit always happens,” answered the blond with a little laugh shoving the other so hard he flew into San's arms.

Wooyoung let his high-pitched laugh filled the air, Yeosang not missing how San's arms closed around his friend to make sure he wouldn't fall.

They all checked their weapons, got rid of ripped things - Hongjoong took his long military jacket off, leaving him in a black tank top under his bulletproof vest. He had a black band strapped around his left biceps with _TASK FORCE Z_ written in red letters on it, and when Oneus dropped the jackets too, all of them also had it.

They also took one last look at their appearance and sighed, as it wasn't their most glorious ones.

Yeosang's ripped short where even more ripped than before, Jongho's leather jacket had taken some damages too, and he had a bandage around his thigh. It wouldn't bother him but it meant he had still been hurt. San was intact, thanks to Enchantress, but he looked more tired than them, and his hands were shaking because of it. Wooyoung was also more tired caused by the damages done to the nature around him, but deep breaths and a bloom of the flowers on his body made him look more fresh.

Seonghwa had a frozen cut on his cheek and zombie blood on his clothes, but he was mostly untouched ; the perks of having powers. Mingi and Yunho also looked fine if not for the few drops of blood here and there on their clothes and armor, result of Keonhee's injury earlier.

Speaking of which Oneus looked shaggy and dirty, but alright.

“Everyone ready ?” asked Hongjoong, rifle in hand and finger already on the trigger.

Everyone nodded and he made a movement with his head.

“We're going by the back, it's classic but still effective. Stay low and silent, night is falling so we'll lose some visibility and we don't want any more complications.”

Hongjoong and Yunho went first, followed by Yeosang and San, Wooyoung alone, Seonghwa alone, Mingi with Oneus at the end. The Hallasan wasn't the easiest piece of cake to ascend, and they tripped more than a few times, scrapping their knees and palms like children but not making any pained sound. Wooyoung was able to keep himself safe by growing plants between the hard rocks and the sand, and they felt the heat coming from above them the higher they climbed. Fortunately, Seonghwa started to let his body smoke a cold breeze, cooling them down and preventing them from turning into sweating mess.

Some were worried about how they'd do once up there, but Hongjoong assured that the fire was only alimented by Halmang, and that as soon as she'd see them, she'd forget all about it. She couldn't take the risk to burn Jaeng down before the sacrificial marking was complete.

They knew they had reached the plateau when they heard a storm coming right above their head, as well as the voice of a man speaking very loudly and in a very unknown language.

“What the hell is he saying ?” asked Yeosang to no one in peculiar.

“I know five languages and he ain't speaking any of them,” said Jongho.

As they had gotten closer to the top, stairs had appeared, carved into the rocks, and they were now kneeling in the middle of them, back plastered to the sort of wall of the mountain's side, the plateau being right in front of them.

Hongjoong turned around and raised himself on his knees only a tad to peak at the scenery. Jeon Jaeng was kneeling right in the middle of the plateau, dressed in clothes that reminded the Colonel a lot of the Enchantress', marks all over his body too. The marks were different though, and Hongjoong guessed their weren't protection and strengths talisman like San bore. The wind had risen and was swirling around the archaeologist, as if protecting him from any threat that could come from above.

Halmang should have thought about below.

Speaking of Her, Hongjoong located the Goddess standing above the volcano's crater, right above the burning lava and fire. She was truly magnificent, and had She not been a deadly woman, he would've taken the time to honor Her. She was dressed in ancient and traditional Korean dresses, long black hair falling around Her face on Her chest, only a bloomed flower sticking a few raven locks together. Her face appeared gentle, but Her eyes were sharp and fierce. Neither Her hands nor Her feet were visible in the draping of Her clothes, and She was surrounded by a sort of mist that made Her even more mystic.

Hongjoong reported his visions to the other men, and the plan was put in motion. San turned into Enchantress and everyone split into their designated Team. Seonghwa and Wooyoung had to hike a little bit to reach the right side of the plateau, close to where Halmang was, while Mingi and Jongho did the same on the left one in order to pop up right in front of Jaeng. The others waited hidden in the stairs hidden for the signal.

Once everyone was settled, the plan started.

Phase 1 : Seonghwa's distraction. He froze the side of the mountain he was on but didn't show his face, so Halmang would be confused and let her eyes off the human sacrifice. It took a while, and the burning rocks didn't help, so he called for Killer Frost, hair white and eyes and the layer of ice got a little thicker.

It took thirty seconds to Halmang to catch onto it, and a second for Her to turn around with a frowned face.

Phase 2 : Jongho and Mingi got in action. The little plateau was more fragile at the edge of the volcano than near the stairs, so they both would need to be careful with the display of their powers. Mingi started by setting up a wall of fire, the heat way higher than the volcano's snapping Jaeng off his trans. He was ready to yell but somehow the shock and surprise to see the two men cut his voice. Jongho couldn't use his voice immediately for two reasons : the fragility of the ground, the distraction of Seonghwa he'd screw up.

So he settled for his close combat skills and used Seonghwa's ice to slide towards Jaeng, stopping himself with the hard part of his fingerless gloves and throwing his leg in an efficient kick that knocked the archaeologist out. San didn't need him conscious to proceed, so he figured it'd be easier.

Unfortunately, Halmang had felt Jaeng being neutralized and She turned in furry towards Mingi and Jongho.

Seonghwa's distraction wasn't effective anymore. The second the Goddess spot them She turned into a horrible creature, skin turning gray and whole body growing to a more divine size. She was as tall as a tree now, and the wind was fiercer and even started to be as solid as it could cut them.

She screamed and threw Her arms up, rising a column of rocks and ground that went straight to Mingi and Jongho, the older throwing himself on the younger and calling up another wall of flame to protect them at least a little, but separating them from Jaeng.

Seonghwa cursed and stood up from his hiding spot, full on Killer Frost mode. He froze Mingi's fire and Wooyoung was quick to react and throw his lianas to wrap around the unconscious man's body. Halmang turned to him but Seonghwa was quicker and threw spikes at Her, catching Her attraction again.

“ **You filthy humans ! You never learn !** ”

As predicted by Hongjoong, soldiers started to come out of the ground but they weren't zombies like earlier, no, there where whole-ass creatures made of rocks. The hits would be more painfull and their destruction less efficient.

“Shit,” cursed Hongjoong, signing to Oneus to come out.

“As if this wasn't part of the plan,” threw Yeosang, literally throwing himself out of hiding by jumping from the stairs onto the platform with only a hand, and immediately running to Jaeng's side.

“Which part ? The screwing up or the soldiers ?” ironically asked Hwanwoong.

“We haven't screwed up yet but keep that shit up and we might !” the blond knocked the archaeologist that was starting to wake up again with the cross of his gun, and then used it to shoot a few stone-soldiers down. “Purple now !”

Phase 3 : Wooyoung tugged hardly and the man's body was thrown for San to catch. Ravn, Leedo and Keonhee were on their knees around him, shooting down clay soldiers as well. San laid him down and let out a green smoke from his hand that slithered in Jaeng's nose, probably to make sure he wouldn't wake up. Then he pressed his fingerprints on the man's temples and cheekbones, thumbs on his forehead. His green eyes turned entirely white, pupils and irises disappearing and he started.

Hongjoong the timing of his watch for thirty minutes : Phase 4.

“Alright guys ! We have half an hour to hold them back ! Let's go and please don't die !”

“Your pep-talks fucking sucks sweety !” yelled Seonghwa, running between Halmang's feet to dodge the huge hand trying to grab him.

Wooyoung arrived right at this moment, catching the hand with some lianas and ivies, pulling on it.

“One of you hurry up I won't hold Her long !”

Mingi and Jongho were back on their feet and the red-haired raised his hands, the Goddess as his target, and threw a huge ball on fire right on Her chest. She didn't even blink.

“Shit, how are we supposed to take a fucking Goddess down !”

“Without anything to seal Her in we can't !” said Seonghwa.

“And of course the archaeologist _is_ the fucking enemy, we can't be in an Indiana Jones type of shit, no !” complained Yunho, using a short range grenade to decimate a dozen soldiers.

The problem was that each time a clay soldier was down, they would only stay down for a minute before their pieces would go back together as if they had been unscattered.

“They're coming back !” screamed Seoho.

“Take down as much as possible and try to make them stay down ! Shit we'd need Seonghwa's or Wooyoung's power right now,” Hongjoong whispered the last part, not wanting them to understand and make them feel overwhelmed.

They still seemed to catch on what was happening on the other side as they both cursed, Seonghwa trying to freeze the Goddess' feet while being on a ice slide. He turned around and took a second to look at the mess, white locks falling in front of his eyes. He jumped off of his moving platform and ran between the clay soldiers and his allies.

“Frost the fuck you're doing ?!” yelled Wooyoung, protecting himself from a powerful hit of Halmang with a thorn shield.

Seonghwa didn't answer and kept freezing everything he kept being in contact with, including the fallen clay soldiers. Stuck in his ice, they couldn't grow back together.

“Genius,” whispered Yunho.

“It won't last long, take care of the others !”

Seonghwa had frozen a quarter of the platform, and they soon noticed that all the soldiers that fell onto the ice got frozen entirely too.

“New plan ! Push the soldiers to the frozen platform !” ordered Hongjoong, eying his watch for a second.

_25 minutes left_

It would be hard but if they worked well, they could make it. While he and the other armed of the group took care of that, Halmang was trying to get rid of the meta-humans. Only they could compete to a Goddess. Or at least try.

“ **Your fight is vain ! I will free him !** ”

“Nope, that won't do,” replied Yeosang, running past a panting Jongho and throwing himself off the cliff.

“Yeosang !” yelled the youngest, and Mingi too widened his eyes in horror.

But Yeosang appeared back, hand wrapped around a liana Wooyoung had thrown over the Goddess' shoulder. He was throwing them a little all over Her body in order to try and restrain Her, and even if it wasn't working as good as expected, it was still helping a little. But She was a Goddess, he couldn't use the old tricks he did with humans.

Yeosang dropped on Halmang's shoulder, using his gun to shoot into her ear. She was a divinity but She didn't seem to appreciate it if Her yelp of pain was anything to go by. The blond quickly got off when he realized She was moving rather dangerously, and he laid on the floor with a roll on the ground, grunting as he used the movement to push himself back on his feet.

“Behind her ears ! Her weak points !”

“ **Silly humans, I cannot be defeated !** ”

“I'm scared that She might be right,” said Mingi worried.

“We only need to keep Her away !” reminded Seonghwa, throwing more ice spikes around the woman's head this time, taking Yeosang's words at heart.

Of course that caught Halmang's attention and she turned to San and Jaeng, yelling in rage when She saw what he was doing.

“ **Impossible ! You don't belong in this dimension Enchantress !** ”

San didn't pay him any attention. He was feeling all the seals already activated and was trying to reverse the process. That's why he needed that much time : he couldn't make the sacrificial mark disappear but he could try to make Jaeng's body go into a Time setback of its own. He would unactivated the seals and bring Jaeng's body back to the time he didn't have them.

_20 minutes left_

Halmang raised her hand an another wave of way too many soldiers rose, but this time the little shits could manipulate the earth around them. That's how Yunho's leg got caught by a rocky hand and Hongjoong's arm was dislocated by a rock thrown at him.

He yelped and dropped his gun, distracting Seonghwa.

“Hongjoong !” it must've been the first time the soldier heard his name in the older's lips, but he didn't have the time to appreciate the gesture. Xion was by his side and helped him put his shoulder back in place.

“I'm fine !” said Hongjoong after another grunt of pain, moving his shoulder around to test it and retrieving his gun from the ground.

Seonghwa's lack of attention was seen by Halmang, and she turned the wind in her favor to direct it at the man.

“Watch out !” Yeosang ran to him and moved them around, Seonghwa setting an ice wall in front of them as a protection. The upper half of it got cut and destroyed by the wind blade, stunning both males.

“Oh fuck She can do that ?”

“She can do that.”

They heard another whistled and only had the time to jump on different sides before the rest of Seonghwa's ice was destroyed.

They landed in the dust and coughed a few times. Jongho ran to Woooyoung with an idea in mind, the lilac-haired looking at the younger skeptically.

“Do you have any idea how dangerous that is ? What if I can't catch you when you fall ?!”

“It doesn't matter,” he was so settled on his idea and decided that Wooyoug couldn't refuse. He focused on the earth beneath him and grew a bigger stern, as large at a tree trunk, Jongho wrapping his arms around it.

The others stopped fighting, a little stunned by that, and that got Seonghwa knocked out by a huge rock, hair turning back to platinum the proof that he was stunned. Jongho was almost at eye sight with he Goddess but She was showing him Her back, and he used it to his advantage to go jump on Her, catching Wooyoung's lianas to not fall, and made his way up to Her shoulder, also using Her hair.

“We have to distract Her from hurting Jongho !” instructed Wooyoung, now full on growing trees around the Goddess to trap her.

“ **You think you can manipulate my Island against me ?! This is my territory ! You. Will. Fail !** ”

Wooyoung felt it before he saw it when the ground opened under his feet, trying to swallow him entirely.

“Wooyoung !” Yeosang's shriek was desperate, the boy not knowing where he had to focus his attention anymore.

_15 minutes left_

Yunho had emptied all his guns and rifles, now only fighting with his pocket knife and his personal skills. Oneus and Hongjoong weren't any better, the later even struggling a little more because his shoulder was starting to kill him.

Jongho had made his way up and tried to stay balanced, but Halmand was panicking at the knowledge of him on Her shoulder, Yeosang trying to make Her pay attention to them.

“Mingi, light up !”

“What ?!”

“Now for fuck's sake ! She's going to kill him !” the panic in his voice was something surprising for everyone, Wooyoung even more. The lilac-haired had finally managed to pull himself up and was panting hard, taking in the scenes in front of him. The three that were protecting San had ran to the rest of their teams to help them, leaving the Enchantress unprotected. Wooyoung quickly rose a thorn barrier in front of him and went back to the Goddess.

Jongho was struggling to stay balanced and decided to throw his last card, not even taking the time to warn anyone before he opened his mouth, and roared. Everyone's reflex was to slap their hands over their ears, wincing and shutting their eyes tight. San was the one who was hurt the most by Jongho's attack, unable to protect his hearing like the others, and even they were highly suffering. All the clay soldiers exploded in dust and tiny rocks.

The Goddess' scream might have been even worst than Jongho's power, and she destabilized him by blowing the wind around herself. He lost his balance and fell almost face on, Wooyoung barely managing to grab him before he could kill himself. He was still knocked out though, head hitting the rocks, and the noise stopped all together, except for Halmang's cry of pain.

Her ears were bleeding a lot, the black liquid running down Her body, and when they got their hands off, they realized they had been bleeding slightly too.

San couldn't hear anything off his surrounding, head filled with a disturbing and stunning buzzing, but forced himself to stay focused.

_10 minutes left_

Yeosang ran to Jongho's side, taking him away from his spot right under the staggering Goddess. Once they were “safe” he dropped on his knees and took Jongho's head on his lap.

“Hey Jongho, hey answer me, you're fine, you're not hurt what's going on ?!”

“He hit his head on the ground,” said Wooyoung, wiping his green blood off.

Yeosang took his hand off under the younger's head and saw that indeed blood was flowing, fortunately not at an alarming rate. The head always bled a lot anyway. He took his jacket off without a second thought and started pressing it against the other's head.

“What's going on now ?!” he asked looking around. Everyone had dropped on their knees because of Jongho's power, and they all had different levels of stun. Hongjoong seemed disturbed but still took in the sight of Seonghwa waking up from his place on the ground, almost unhurt by Jongho as his body had automatically frozen the sound wave coming in his direction.

“ **You bastard ! You will pay for this affront !** ”

_5 minutes left_

She rose up, taller and more dangerous than ever, hands on the air, and the whole Hallasan started to shake.

“An earthquake !” warned Ravn a little uselessly.

“Fuck San ! Hurry !” asked Mingi.

“He's almost done !”

“ **No !** ”

The ground was still shaking and they all thought they'd die, but last second Halmand stopped everything and focused Her energy on San. Her hands formed a purple sphere between Her palms, focusing more energy from the volcano. They all saw a sort of yellow lightening coming right from the lava and settling in the sphere, before it turned in a purplish arrow, and She made the same position as an archer would do.

Wooyoung froze when he understood Her intentions.

“San ! Watch out !”

The arrow was thrown, Seonghwa failed to freeze it, Wooyoung couldn't reach San it time, and the second Enchantress was done, the Goddess let out the highest scream they had ever heard as She had lost Her sacrifice, and no one had seen Hongjoong move.

“Hongjoong !” this time, it was Seonghwa's scream, calling the man by his name for the second time, that resonated in the air.

The Colonel had managed to run to San right in time and had shielded the boy with his own body, the arrow striking right in between his shoulder blade, disappearing in a purple smoke right after.

“Hongjoong !” San's scream echoed Seonghwa's second one, the younger dropping Jaeng and holding his hyung against him. He wasn't bleeding and the skin hadn't broke, so he sighed longly.

“You're alright, you're fine.”

Hongjoong was panting and not feeling as fine as San thought, a very hot feeling spreading from the impact point through his skin and to his heart, taking it into a quick hold that caught in throat and made him cough.

The Goddess was crying black blood all over Her cheeks and Her ears were tainted of black, but She was laughing and smiling. No one but Hongjoong heard when She said Her last words before disappearing in the blowing wind :

“ **I got you right where I wanted you, Kim Hongjoong ...** ”


	7. Episode 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys ! Like I said, I got more time now so the updates will be closer to one another, so here's chapter 6.  
> Warning for smut in this chapter, right in the middle but I put in warnings if you want to skip it. This chapter is a little bit split in two, the second part being chapter 7, that I won't post right away because I still want a few days between my updates but it'll come very soon (tuesday or wednesday). 
> 
> Hope you'll like it and that the smut won't ruin anything,
> 
> Enjoy !

The Colonel had a hard time catching his breath, but once he did, he realized Ravn had tied Jeon Jaeng's wrists and was keeping an eye on him with Hwanwoong, the others helping each other standing up.

“How is he ?” he asked, eyes fixed on Jongho. Yeosang was giving the unconscious man a piggy back ride, and turned a shy smile to the older.

“He'll be fine. He knocked his head but it didn't bleed that much and his pulse is steady. He just needs to sleep it out.”

“How is everyone else ?”

“Fuck's sake !” Seonghwa's voice froze Hongjoong, not in the bad way, and he turned on his back carefully. “Why can't you worry about yourself ! You've been fucking hit for fuck's sake ! You could be bleeding out right now and you'd still worry about everyone else ?!” the question didn't necessarily need an answer, but the navy-haired felt like the older needed one.

“Yes. Yes I would because I don't think a mission is completed if not all my men are alive and well.”

“What if you're not ?!”

“It doesn't matter. As long as you're alright,” Hongjoong couldn't deny the _you_ was mostly directed at Seonghwa in this precise situation, and given how the platinum-haired froze, he understood it too. Hongjoong didn't know what he felt for Seonghwa, he couldn't call it love yet, but he knew he was obsessed with the older male, and he thought that it was time he let Seonghwa knew about it. Seonghwa needed to feel loved, Hongjoong knew it was the only way to show him he could be someone better than he thought.

“San ! Are you okay ?!” Wooyoung's worry cry got everyone's attention off, and the lilac-haired stumbled onto San's arms, the black and red-haired boy healing his ears with Enchantress.

Hongjoong rose a brow, and after looking at Yeosang gently running his finger through Jongho's hair, a strong thought popped in his mind : _the hell had happened between his men and the bad guys, and when the fuck ?_

“They're helping each other out, and maybe trying to awake something else in them, you should be proud,” Seonghwa' voice had gotten back to being gentler, even if still cold, it didn't felt like a snow storm to Hongjoong, but more like a gentle autumn breeze, when the wind starts getting colder but doesn't freeze your ass.

“I am, I just didn't see it happen,” he said, grunting when he tried to stand up. Seonghwa helped him out and still without looking at him, said :

“We never see these things happen until we live them ourselves,” he made a point to not look at Hongjoong and fall into a cliché drama scene, knowing perfectly nothing was happening of the sort.

Truth is, it was, but he was too stubborn and afraid to admit it.

“Colonel, the area is secured and there's no trace of Halmang. Jaeng has been apprehended and-”

“Leedo !”

The white-haired hadn't been careful enough and had failed to see the sacrificial knife hidden in Jaeng's robes. The archaeologist was lifting it above his head and was ready to strike, but a hand grabbing at his neck and squeezing stopped him. That's not what killed him though, but when his body burst into flames so hot they were almost turning blue, he couldn't even scream before being entirely carbonated and falling in ashes and dark bones at Mingi's feet. The red-haired's eyes were a piercing red, skin flashing white and veins popping around them.

“Not going to happen,” he said, stern voice drastically different from his powers.

Everyone was rather shocked to see such a display of violence coming from Mingi, but a quick glance from the man kept them from saying anything.

“We'll say he died in the cross-fire,” stated Hongjoong.

“That's definitely what happened,” agreed Hwanwoong ; he was keeping himself from smiling, not really against Mingi's actions.

“Let's call Waller,” repeated Leedo, faster this time to make sure nothing would try to kill him again.

The woman sounded as cold as ever when she got off the chopper she sent for the team's reception, barely glancing at the archeologist's dead body.

“You're alive,” it wasn't a question but a statement mostly directed at the Colonel, one that someone could find rather harsh, Mingi deciding to stop being nice with her as a respond :

“Hide your satisfaction it's pathetic.”

Amanda didn't answer as she didn't want to prove the boy wrong : she was actually glad that everyone was alive and well, as she knew Hongjoong would've never came back without all his men, even if it meant losing his life in the process.

The blue-haired had a hard time standing and Seonghwa gently laid a hand on his waist, the other taking the boy's arm to wrap it around his neck to help him. Yeosang was letting go of Jongho on one of the medic's bed but wasn't leaving his side, and Yunho and Mingi carried San and Wooyoung, both exhausted by the intense use of their powers, to the chopper.

“Can you deactivate the bombs now please ? We won't go anywhere anyway ...” said Seonghwa.

“I'm not a fool I know better than to trust you scumbags,” she spat, and Hongjoong and Oneus immediately snapped their heads to her in protest.

“Mingi saved our lives and he and Wooyoung healed Keonhee's wound. He would be dead without them,” said Hwanwoong.

“No once did they left use behind and tried to outrun us,” added Ravn.

“You might not trust them but we do, and you trust us. De-activate the bombs. _Please_ ,” Hongjoong's voice wasn't letting an opening for a debate and Amanda swallowed the lump of anger she had stuck in the throat.

“I'll do it once we reach Seoul.”

“We're going back there ?” asked Yunho surprised.

“The night has fallen and not all of us are used to nocturnal activities. You'll be kept in Signiel Seoul hotel until we can send you back to the detention center tomorrow morning.”

“I hope you did not forget about what's been promised to us after this mission,” Wooyoung's voice was tired and barely high, but she heard him regardless. “Not that you thought you'd keep that promise as you probably wished us death.”

“Believe it or not but I expected you to come back alive. Your deaths was - I confess - only a sweet dream of mine. Now enough of this. Everyone in.”

All were strapped in the chopper, looking more or less wrecked and tired. Jongho and Keonhee had received the first aids, and the others would wait until reaching the hotel for heals, as they only had minor injuries.

Hongjoong could feel something was not entirely right. Since the Goddess had hit him with Her arrow, he could feel something in his body, sort of waves of heat erupting from the impact point to the rest of his limbs, and it felt weird. It wasn't the best feeling but it wasn't the worst either, and he tugged on his shirt, feeling extremely hot all of a sudden. Mingi was sitting at the other side of the chopper though, so that couldn't be his fault.

A very cold hand slithered in his, pale fingers with purplish nails intertwining with his honey skinned ones. Seonghwa's skin was cold, but not as cold as he felt it before. He wondered if the boy was trying to contain his powers, or if his own high body temperature was to blame.

“Are you alright ?” Hongjoong was surprised to be asked this question by the platinum-haired, and it showed on his face.

“You care ? Genuinely ?”

Seonghwa's face closed and he turned his head to face the wall in front of him, refusing to acknowledge what the Colonel had said. It had came from his heart but if the man wanted to be a jerk than Seonghwa should have known better then try and-

“I'm fine. Thank you for asking,” he turned to see Hongjoong with a gentle and fond smile, and he swore he felt his heartbeat accelerate slightly for a quick second.

He had been afraid that trying to be emotionally available even if just asking the simplest question was a mistake, and even now he wasn't entirely convinced it was the best move, but Hongjoong was slowly proving him wrong.

_You shouldn't let him inside our head,_ Killer Frost disapproved of course, but both felt that it was more from fear then actual dislike of the man.

_I don't think he could hurt us even if he wanted to,_ answered Seonghwa.

_You know what happened last time you opened your heart ..._

_Hongjoong is capable of closing it for me and stuck himself in it ..._

_He's too generous. Don't you think he's like this with the others too ?_

_Have you seen him act this way towards someone else ?_

_... No ..._

_I don't know what he wants exactly Frost ... but maybe we should give him a chance ?_

Feeling the trust coming as an answer from his second part, Seonghwa fell satisfaction and a warm feeling he was slowly learning to recognize.

Right next to them Wooyoung had his head falling on Yeosang's shoulder, the blond eyes fixed on Jongho's still unconscious body. The medics had assured he should wake up soon, but the older was nervously moving his legs around until his best friend laid a hand on one knee.

“Stop it, you're making me stressed.”

“Sorry I can't help it ...”

“Didn't know you could care so much for someone else than _him_...”

Yeosang gulped and look down on his joined hands.

“He trusts me ...” he whispered.

“What ?”

“In the maze. We were running around without a plan, just headless chickens ... I told him I knew a way to get out of a maze from my psychology years in University and he just ... let me go with it. He was like _I trust you, lead the way_! As if it couldn't have been a plan to kill him !”

Yeosang seemed upset by this trust, and Wooyoung understood it while listening to his friend talking. He seemed torn between the happiness of someone finally listening to him after years of abuse, and his _duty_ to be a bitch.

“It was his choice to trust you Yeosangie. And it was your decision to prove him he could. Would you have preferred if you had killed him ?”

The blond shook his head, blue and pink locks falling in front of his tired eyes.

“I thought about it, of course I did. But I didn't feel like it would bring me any satisfaction ... I wouldn't have enjoyed it ...”

“Why ?”

“Because he was the first to let me be _me_ ... Not the Queen of the Clowns' King, not the side-kick of Seoul's psychopath ... Not Kangley Quinn ... just ... just ...”

“Just Kang Yeosang,” they both jumped and turn to see San looking at them. He had been sleeping, it was clear with how his red and black hair were all over his head, but also because he was clinging to Yunho like a koala to a tree. “What ? He's a comfortable puppy and he said I could,” pouted the man when he saw Wooyoung's judgmental gaze.

“He is a puppy,” affirmed Mingi from the other side of Yunho, the tall blond between them deeply asleep.

“Anyway, were you listening to us ?” asked Wooyoung to San.

“Didn't mean to, sorry. But you're right in front of us and we're on a chopper. The headphones kind of help to focus on your voices.

“It's fine,” said Yeosang, but adopting a more defensive position.

“Look, I know that's not who you are and after what you've been through, you might not be able to go back to how things were before the Joker. But you can still find again a semblance of control. If _you_ decide that you're in control of your life. Jongho will never hinder that control. He's the most respectful and caring man I ever met after Hongjoong, and he won't try to make you into something you're not either.”

San was right. Jongho had never told Yeosang he could do better. He had never told him he could do good if only he chose too. Jongho understood where Yeosang was coming from, and not once did he suggest that he could do, and be someone else. Was Jongho really ready to accept him this way ?

Nothing more was to say and Yeosang only smiled shyly at San, Wooyoung's eyes widening at seeing this peculiar smile he hadn't seen since High School.

Mingi smiled at that and turned his head to look at Yunho while San was dropping asleep on him again, and he got lost in his thought. Yunho was a very attractive boy, it's one of the first thing he noticed. Yunho was also very nice and smiling despite his line of work, and for that, Mingi admired and respected the man even more. The smiles were sometimes genuine, sometimes fake, the red-haired had managed to tell the difference because when Yunho really smiled, his eyes smiled too, and he would always get shy and bring a hand to his mouth to hide it.

Right now, he looked so peaceful and sweet sleeping. Mouth parted a little bit to breath easier, golden hair moving with the chopper's movements.

“Hey careful you're drooling,” Hwanwoong shoved his elbow in Mingi's ribs, making the red-haired jolt in his seat and yelp, surprised. The smaller man had a little laugh and the other smiled.

“What are you talking about ?”

“Come on, I see the way you look at each other. I understand where you're coming from, all of you. I've seen the things happening, the ones getting closer, the gestures, the looks. Some are pretty understandable even from a third eye. If I have to be honest, I'm not really surprised ...”

Mingi had a hard time following.

“Surprised about what ?”

“Well, all of you good guys falling for bad guys ! I mean, they're clearly falling for you too, it's obvious. I think it's the balance of the universe doing its work y'know ? Like, they've done unspeakable things, you're trying to save the world but end up opening their eyes as well. It's almost written in the stars for something like that to happen y'know ?”

Mingi was even more confused. Hwanwoong knew that he was not a good guy, he knew that he came from the detention center, yet he didn't sort him into the right group while talking. And when he did, he seemed to genuinely believe his words.

“Hwanwoong ... I'm not a good guy ... I'm with them, remember ?”

“Oh I know that,” the other rolled his eyes. “But I can't think of you as one. Unlike the others you didn't do anything that could make me think otherwise.”

“Neither did they ?”

“It's not just about actions. It's also about the way to hold one's self, the way of talking. It's not just about using your powers and why you use them Mingi.”

A comfortable silence settled between them, leaving the red-haired in deep thoughts.

“Do you really mean what you said ?”

“Which part ?”

“The first one ... about ... y'know,” Mingi turning pink and gesturing with his hands brought a smirk to Hwanwoong's face.

Xion stepped in the conversation :

“Woong is a romantic, he'll see love everywhere he can. But he's always being honest and most of the times ? He's good at reading people,” shrugged the silver-haired.

“That's why he's mostly affected to identification missions. If he has the physiological characteristic of someone, he can stop them in a crowd without even seeing their face first, a real dog,” laughed Ravn.

“Hey !”

The laughs died down a little after Waller cleaned her throat, the woman hiding her general confusion. She was seeing them interact and she couldn't understand how these assholes that had wanted to bite the heads off her soldiers a few hours prior were now having civilized conversations ...

_Maybe being close death together does that to people ..._

“All of you will have a private room at the hotel if you wish for one. As the President is also in residence in it for the time being, soldiers are place at every exit and entry, and they are night patrols going on around the corridors of each floors every hour. So if you think about escaping ...”

“Yeah we got it. We'll be shot at sight. Will we be able to move from one room to another at least ?” asked Seonghwa.

“I'll see what I can do.”

Once they had reached the hotel, they saw the change of behaviour from the soldiers towards them in an instant. They weren't being aimed at or even looked at the wrong way, and it felt different ... they had almost forgotten how to lay low in public ... They weren't used to it anymore.

They also all took a quick second to watch the hotel in awe. The Signiel Seoul hotel was the most luxurious hotel in Seoul, five stars, with a view of the Han River. It was a hotel within a skyscraper - the Lotte World Tower - with two gourmet restaurants, a champagne bar and a sophisticated lounge. A spa, an indoor swimming pool and the cherry on top : a ballroom. Yes, a ballroom.

The Team had stars in their eyes.

“I never thought I'd ever be able to step foot in that place,” admitted Seonghwa, impressed.

“Oh I did. Almost made explode one of the floors, stole two or three billions, and made a hundreds of hostage.”

They all turned to look at Yeosang whom was smiling fondly at the apparently nice memory. Once he saw all the guys looking at him, he smiled sheepishly and shrugged :

“What ?”

Yunho and Seonghwa shook their head in disbelief, Wooyoung stared at his best friend with wide eyes and Mingi sighed. Hwanwoong didn't seem to disturbed and asked :

“So, how are the rooms ?”

“Hwan !” scolded Leedo.

“What ?! I want to know before we get in !”

“They're amazing !” enthusiastically answered the blond. “Free wifi, flat-screen TV's, coffeemakers, ouuh mini-bars ! The best rooms have an amazing view on the Han and a lounge sitting area directly _in_ the bedroom ! And the even best rooms have whirlpool tubs !”

“Whirlpool tubs ? I mean- If we get that every time we save the world I don't mind it being in danger a few times per month,” laughed San.

“Enough talking. The injured will go see the medics on the third floor ! The others come with me ! I'll assign you to your rooms,” ordered Amanda Waller.

All around them military soldiers and other forces were taking care of new-comers, checking everyone who got in and out, and walking down the streets to make sure everything was safe and would stay safe. If they didn't know about it already they'd suspect the President was also in this hotel. Jongho and Keonhee were directly led to a room on the fourth floor, Yeosang taking note of this information in the corner of his mind, and Waller told them they'd be separated between the fourth and fifth floor. The President had the whole sixth for himself with Waller, and even if they had the right to go everywhere they wanted from the ground floor to the fifth floor, they were forbid to go higher.

“Soldiers have been deployed and will shoot you on sight. We're nice enough to let you walk free, we don't need you at the goddamn fifteenth floor.”

“There are fifteenth floors ?” asked in a whisper Yeosang to Yunho, whom just shrugged. “Can we chose our rooms ?” he asked then.

“What do you think this is ? We aren't at a camp during summer break.”

Yeosang looked at the woman with big innocent eyes.

“Yeah we just save the world and we're asking to chose for our rooms, my God how insolent of us,” the very rigid smile he had made everyone puff, and even Oneus had to hide behind their hands.

“I don't see why not, as long as you obey our rules,” accepted Amanda.

“Of course we will jeez, chill the world is saved woman !”

The woman's eyes narrowed and Hongjoong decided to step in.

“Don't worry I'll keep an eye on them. Please deactivate the bombs now, I take full responsibility on whatever they will do,” he plaided.

Wooyoung dropped on San and said :

“Ouh dangerous, now I want to be a bad boy only to see him in trouble,” smirked playfully the younger.

“Brat,” smiled back Hongjoong.

“I had almost forgotten about the bombs,” said Yeosang, head in the clouds.

“How can you forget about something than can kill you right into your neck ?!” asked Mingi.

“Goddesses, human sacrifice, zombies, we've had a busy night,” pointed out Seonghwa for the blond.

The mood was light and relaxed, all the pressure for the previous hours finally leaving their shoulders and freeing them from a heavy weight. They knew they'd soon be back in the Detention Center, maybe for less time than they should have, but they still decided they'd enjoy this last night and first night of freedom for as long as it would last.

One of the hotel's waitress passed next to them, pulling a carriage filled with towels and bath robes, and Yeosang's face lit up :

“Oh I remember her ! She was there last time me and Puddin' came,” he said, turning to speak with Wooyoung and San. “Do you think she remembers me ?”

As if she knew he was talking about her, she lifted her head and looked in his direction. She stopped abruptly and froze, colours leaving her face and eyes widening in terror.

“I think she does,” commented Wooyoung bored.

Another waiter came to help her and lead her somewhere else, but her eyes were glued to Yeosang and she was pointing at him while screaming.

“She definitely does,” agreed San with a grimace.

They couldn't say more as Wooyoung and Yeosang, as well as all the other bad guys, heard a sort of clicking noises coming from their neck.

“Guys, the bombs have been deactivated and we'll let you in your room. I did the arrangements : Yeosang, Wooyoung, San, Leedo, Xion, Seoho, fourth floor with Jongho and Keonhee. Mingi, Yunho, Seonghwa, Hwanwoong, Ravn and I will invest the fifth floor. Everyone happy ?”

Yeosang knew for a fact that Hongjoong did it on purpose to let him be at Jongho's floor, and he jumped on the smaller male to kiss his cheek very loudly :

“Thank you ! Come on Woo, I'm exhausted !”

“Soldiers will come pick you up tomorrow morning at 10. If any of you try to escape, the bomb in your neck will be re-activated and used. We will get rid of those shits in your neck only after bringing you back behind the Detention Center's bars. Moving from one room to the other is authorized. Between floors too. We're going to ask you to get rid of your weapons too. You don't need them anymore,” Amanda stood in front of them with a box in her hand, shaking it a little to force them to give back their things. Yeosang reluctantly threw his gun and bat, Yunho took a little more time to strip of every weapon he had, and the others didn't have anything to give so it was quickly settled.

Everyone separated in little groups and filled the elevators. Hongjoong wasn't feeling better than earlier. The heat had became more difficult to bare, his skin felt like it was on fire, and his head was spinning. He let himself fall on the elevator's wall with a loud thump, surprising everyone around him.

“You alright hyung ?” asked San worried.

“Just tired,” brushed off the older.

“Oh there's something I didn't mention but I didn't saw it after I woke up in the chopper, in the book Amanda gave, I found another solution to kill the sacrificial marked if there's no way to undo the marking.”

“You mean if it's too late ?”

“Yeah, like if the five seals have already been activated and the next thing is the death of the human.”

“But killing him will trigger the ceremony San, no ?”

“Well yes, if they're killed randomly, but in the book,” he said, opening at the right page, “it says that freezing the heart of the human marked and killing him this way is the only way to stop a sacrificial ceremony.”

Everyone turned to Seonghwa.

“You could've said it sooner, we wouldn't have gone through all the troubles,” sighed the platinum-haired with a raised brow.

“Well I had not read it yet !” pouted San.

“Oh my God he's so cute,” cooed Wooyoung, pinching his cheek and ripping a very strange noise from the older boy.

“I don't want to hear about Gods for the rest of my life ! I'm forever an atheist !” protested Yeosang, getting out of the elevator like a diva, followed by Wooyoung and San laughing.

Hongjoong and Seonghwa sighed and leaned on the back wall, head falling and eyes closing. Then they turned to look at each other and Hongjoong smiled.

“Finally at peace.”

Seonghwa's features turned soft, and he cracked a shy smile back.

“Finally.”

The door opened to let them out on their floor, but after the first steps Hongjoong felt his head spin again and if it wasn't for Seonghwa catching him, he'd be collapsed on the floor.

“Hongjoong !”

The third time. Despite not feeling very well, the Colonel noticed it was the third time Seonghwa had called him by his name. Impressive in his opinion.

“I love it.”

The older got stiff and looked at him as if he was mad.

“What ?!”

“I love it when you call me by my name,” he sounded drunk, he was hot and he soon realised the cold coming from Seonghwa's body was doing him good. He snuggled closer in the boy's arms.

“What are you doing- Hongjoong !”

He had wrapped his arms around Seonghwa's neck and took a deep breath. He knew that it was extremely dangerous to touch and be so close to the older male like this, but he couldn't bring himself to take. He needed to feel the other close.

“Seonghwa,” he whined, “I'm hot !”

“Yeah I can feel that, when did your body temperature rose so much ?! Hongjoong you're even hotter than Mingi !”

“Thank you,” giggled the younger. “You think I'm hot !”

“It's no time for jokes ! I have to get you to the medics-”

“No !”

Seonghwa turned to look at the smaller man in his arms, big black eyes opened to reflect all the feelings of his heart. He thought he had seen his irises flash purple but that might have been his imagination.

“The only thing I need is you,” whispered the Colonel after some time.

“Hongjoong,” there were still in the corridor, and both of them were smart enough to know there had been a certain ... tension between them since the day them met.

“I'm hot and you're cold, you're all I need ! Please Seonghwa, I'm starting to feel better thanks to you,” and Seonghwa gave in.

He took Hongjoong in his arms, bridal style, and carried him to the room he was suppose to sleep in. It was not one of the best rooms, but the king-size bed in front of them, the huge mirror on the ceiling and the surface of the room was enough for both of them. There was even a little couch and coffee table right on the left when you entered the room, and huge double-doors in glass that probably led to the bathroom.

Seonghwa laid Hongjoong on the bed, trying to stay focus when the younger moaned in protest.

“Stay here !”

“I'm getting you a wet towel, we have to cool your body down if you're having a fever.”

“You can do that !”

“No I can kill you while doing that. A frozen towel won't.”

“But a frozen towel isn't you !”

Seonghwa ignored him, faithful to his collected and controlled personality, and opened the bathroom to see it was almost as big as the room itself. A bathtub _and_ a shower, double sinks and way too much empty space to his liking. He sighed and only did what he was supposed too.

When he came back to the room with a wet towel slowly freezing in his hands, he didn't thought he'd meet with the sight of a half-naked Hongjoong fidgeting on the bed. He looked positively erotic like this, cheeks flushed, torso thinly sculpted covered with a thin layer of sweat, navy locks spread on the white pillow under his head. He had taken off his boots and socks, and had thrown his shirt through the room, pants already half open.

Seonghwa needed a second to collect himself and stay in control. He took a deep breath and let another wave of cold erupt from his body, regretting it as soon as the Colonel moaned in pleasure.

“Seonghwa, come, p-please come, I'm so _so_ hot !”

He did as he was told and sat down on the bed next to the boy's body. He gently cleaned his forehead of the sweat, noticing how he was panting and seemed to experience some shot of pain from time to time. This was not normal. Seonghwa might not have been a doctor but this was nothing he knew about and he felt something odd about Hongjoong. Something that shouldn't be here. Something _meta-human_.

“Hongjoong, what happened to you, what's going on ?”

“I don't know ! I don't- I don't know ! Please Seonghwa please I need-,” he grabbed the older's wrist, making him jump of surprise and drop the towel.

Immediately as an automatic defense the platinum-haired's body produced a cold wave than filled the room with a thin layer of frost, and should have frozen Hongjoong as well, but the boy was untouched, and not even disturbed. On the opposite, he moaned in delight _again_.

“Please I need you !”

“Hongjoong we- we have to cool down your body,” stuttered Seonghwa. It hadn't happened to him since he met his University professor, and now he had a lap full of a boy he had grown fond off and felt very much attracted too.

“ _You_ cool my body down, only you can, please, I need you, I _want_ you.”

He stopped trying to undress the man and looked at him in the eyes.

“I know you want me too.”

Seonghwa snapped. He caught Hongjoong's head between his hands and kissed him. He still had a deep fear inside of him and so he pulled out to make sure he hadn't froze the other to death, only for Hongjoong to chase after his lips, wanting more and more and more.

_(smut)_

He grabbed Seonghwa by the collar of his long coat and yanked him forward, making himself fell on the bed with the older on top of him. It felt good, it felt right, Hongjoong's skin was on fire but everywhere Seonghwa touched him made him feel so much better. He was shamelessly moaning and whining and the noises were driving the taller insane.

Hongjoong fitted so well under his body, small and tiny even, squirming under the fingers on his torso, his lips on his neck.

“Marks ?” asked Seonghwa, nibbling at the skin of his collarbone, ready to bite.

“Leave them, I want them to know,” he breathed out.

“Know what ?”

“That I'm yours,” Seonghwa growled at that.

“That's a very dangerous thing to say to someone like me sweetheart.”

“I trust y-you,” Hongjoong sucked in a breath when Seonghwa took the rest of his clothes off and wrapped his long and cold fingers around his dick.

“You shouldn't. I could kill you if I wanted too,” whispered the other in his ear, slowly moving his hand up and down.

“Why am I not d-dead yet then ?” Hongjoong's eyes were as fiery as the rest of his body. They sparkled with a light of mischief Seonghwa didn't think could be possible in the gentle man's gaze.

“Maybe because I want to play with my food,” he suggest.

“Then play with me. Play and let me play with you too.”

“God Hongjoong.”

Seonghwa kissed him again, deeper this time, parting the boy's lips for his tongue to come in, and soon they were making out noisily, the room dropping colder every second. Hongjoong kept moaning in the kiss as he was being jerked off, and with shaking hands he started to pull on the other's clothes.

“Off, off, take it all off,” he begged, breaking the kiss.

“Keep playing with yourself while I do that,” Seonghwa slowly stood next to the bed, eyes never leaving Hongjoong's, and the later put on a show to jerk himself off and lick his own fingers. Seonghwa was starting to grow hot too, he hadn't had sex once since he got transformed in Killer Frost, but he could feel his inner self wanting it as much as him. His body was reacted well to the sight in front of him and once he was naked, it only took him a few pump on his own dick to be hard.

“You're beautiful Joongie,” he smiled, going back on top of the boy with eyes dark and narrowed like a tiger ready to bounce on his prey. It turned Hongjoong on even more. He had moved his wet fingers to his ass, playing between his cheeks around his rim. Seonghwa had other plans though.

He parted the boy's leg and settled between them, head on dick level. He started by kissing the tender flesh of Hongjoong's inner-thighs, not surprised to feel them tone under his fingers, nails digging a little in the skin, ripping delicious sounds from the younger. He licked close to his genitals without actually reaching them, until he took Hongjoong's hand and told him :

“Your fingers, my movements, how does that sound ?”

“Perfect,” the smirk, the lustful eyes, no really, Seonghwa's entire being screamed at him to finally ruin the boy in front of him.

He slowly took Hongjoong first digit and slowly inserted it in his hole, loving how he could feel the thigh muscle tense from where he had put it on his shoulder. He kept the other hand on the boy's hip, arm between the mattress and his leg. He pushed in and out, slowly working Hongjoong's rim to accustom to the size before he could change and add a second finger. Seonghwa grimaced, knowing that without lube it couldn't be as pleasurable as with it, but Hongjoong didn't seem to feel any pain, or if he did he liked it, and the older didn't know how to feel about that. So the slowly added a finger of his own to work alongside Hongjoong's inside the boy, scissoring him open.

After the fourth of Hongjoong's fingers and Seonghwa's one, the younger started to grow eager.

“Seonghwa fuck me, please fuck me,” tears were slowly making their way on the side of his head, and the platinum-haired remembered his own first time bottoming, and how it had been very overwhelming for him too. He stood on his elbows and made his way to Hongjoong's face, holding his cheek with his clean hand.

“Look at me, sweetheart,” he kissed Hongjoong and then watched him, brows furrowed in pleasure, eyes blown of lust and something else he could not read. “Have you ever done that before ?” Hongjoong shook his head. “You topped ?” Neither.

The Colonel explained : “I was taken as a child to be formed a soldier. I never had the time nor the occasion. My life wasn't made for love, only death.”

Seonghwa kissed the pain of this memory away, and slowly took their fingers out, using the towel to try and clean their hands a little, before moving his hips closer to Hongjoong's. Their groin touched and ripped moans from both of them, and he did the movement a few more times to really bring Hongjoong on edge. It seemed to work, because soon he felt the world spin and opened his eyes to see himself on his back, Hongjoong legs parted around his hips, taking his leaking member and slowly inserting it into him.

The eagerness was much more present that Seonghwa thought.

Hongjoong slowly grind down on Seonghwa, earning moans and groans, the older's hands snapping to grab at his hips almost painfully, but he enjoyed the idea that it'd leave marks. When Seonghwa bottomed out Hongjoong sighed in what sounded like ... relief ? The heat his whole body had been experiencing had finally settled down, now that he was as close to Seonghwa as one could be, the coldness coming from his body wrapping itself around Hongjoong is a tender and sweet embrace. He shivered when the older opened his eyes and he saw them flash white, Killer Frost not far from them. The younger didn't lose another second and started moving. His movements were long but fast, clearly trying to finally get his release, and after a while Seonghwa started giving little thrusts too and Hongjoong cried out.

His hands had found a support on Seonghwa's chest, as he whined and moaned and oh he hoped the others couldn't hear them but then he realized he didn't care and fuck- Seonghwa hit it just right.

“There, oh Seonghwa right there,” Hongjoong was almost unable to move, tiredness of riding starting to steal his limbs and the platinum-haired lost the last thin of control he had when the Colonel kept moaning his name each time he hit his prostate, and soon Killer Frost had entered the game too. A very cold wave spread again, covering the inside of the room of a thicker layer of ice, temperature falling dangerously but none of them were noticing and Hongjoong was not cold, he could not be cold, not with Seonghwa, living harmless cold bites on his honey skin.

Soon their movements became messy, both close to their limits, and Seonghwa's eyes and hair kept changing of color, the bites of cold growing warmer when he was in control while they tightened alongside his fingers when Killer Frost was leading. He came first, deep withing Hongjoong, hair platinum and eyes blue, a strange mix between his two personalities, and seeing this, seeing how he made the man lose control over his powers when he was so composed the rest of the time was enough for Hongjoong to fell from the edge too ; the cold liquid he felt between his cheeks helped as well. He cummed with a loud moan, semen covering his tummy and a little bit of Seonghwa's, the cum immediately freezing at the contact of two cold bodies.

He fell on top of Seonghwa without any restrain, but the older man didn't have any either when he received him, arms wrapping around his body, moving them around slightly so he could leave Hongjoong's warmth and clean them a little, one hand trapped under the man's body and playing with his hair.

_(end of smut)_

“Are you alright Hongjoong ?” he gently caressed the man's cheeks with his knuckles. His eyes had been closed but fluttered open, flashing this same purple again, but Seonghwa ignored it once more.

“I'm fine, I'm feeling so good Seonghwa it was so ... oh God,” he laughed a little, and nuzzled closer to the man, nose in his neck. It was domestic, way too domestic for either of them, especially considering who they were, and what was their life.

But neither of them said anything and they closed their eyes, deciding they could enjoy the little time they had together. It wasn't exactly love, it was too new, fragile and fast to be called _that_ yet, but it was something. And even if they knew it was a terrible idea, they both wanted to cling to it as hard as they could.

___

A few rooms away, Mingi and Yunho were calmly taking their marks in their own bedroom, completely oblivious to the hot display of affection happening in Hongjoong's room.

They were both separated, and Mingi could really use the time alone, but Yunho decided otherwise and came knocking.

It surprised the red-haired at first, and nervous, he reached for the nano bombs in his neck, fearing it'd be Amanda Waller and her scary persona. He reluctantly opened the door, only to see a sheepish Yunho standing there, changed from his red suit and armor to classic black shirt and sweatpants.

“Hi.”

“Hi,” answered the younger back. It was awkward to say the least and Mingi seemed to make it worst without noticing as he didn't invite Yunho in.

“Sorry, am I disturbing you ? I just wanted to talk to you about something and I-”

“No ! No sorry, I lack in manners come in !” Mingi turned pink and quickly opened the door, not really understanding what the older wanted to talk about but letting him in anyway. Their rooms were the same, only a little smaller than Hongjoong's and with less furniture. Mingi had let the denim jacket fall and had plopped on the bed, taking his shoes off to not dirty the blankets.

Yunho knocking had been a surprise but he hadn't bother dressing back, deciding he was decent enough.

Now he wish he had his jacket back on so Yunho couldn't see all the scars on the back of his arms, nape and back of shoulders, clearly indicating that it kept going on under his red top. He could put it back on now, but it would be weird all of a sudden, and if he played it well, Yunho didn't need to see his back at all. He made sure of that as he closed the door, back pressed against it, and then went to seat on the bed, inviting Yunho to do the same. He sat in the same position Mingi was, which was one knee bent on the bed and the other leg supporting their weight on the floor, facing each other. Their knees were touching but they tried to not stare or think about it too much.

It was silent for a few more minutes before Mingi asked :

“So ... you wanted to tell me something ?”

Yunho jumped, as if his train of thoughts had been interrupted abruptly. Then his fingers fidgeted and he starting to stutter, looking at everything inside the room except the other boy in front of him.

“Ah y-yeah I did ... Actually, it's about what happened earlier on the Island.”

“Earlier ? I'm afraid you're going to have to be more precise, tons of shit happened earlier.”

“In the maze,” Yunho blurted it out, looking at Mingi with guilt and hating how the younger tensed as soon as the words left his lips. “I'm sorry I know you probably don't want to talk about it and frankly I don't want to either ! I just want to apologize !”

The red-haired blinked a few times.

“Apologize ? For what ?”

“For asking you to use your power. I-I know you don't want to, I understood that, and even if I don't know why, Hongjoong wasn't there and I know you've been looking up to him and a lot and the situation was critical and I guess I just wanted to _try_ and help you the way he would've but I didn't and-” the blond was speaking endlessly without taking a break or stopping and despite Mingi's small call of his name, he kept on mumbling to himself.

Answering only to his impulses, Mingi took one of Yunho's hand and efficiently shut him off. He lifted his head to see the copper irises of the younger already staring at him, but he couldn't tell what he was thinking.

“I don't want you to apologize. I was the only solution to help them so I understand, and I helped Keonhee afterwards. It's more than enough to nullify how I felt guilty for using them.”

Yunho wanted to protest and Mingi's eyes convinced him otherwise, so he just nodded. Their hands had linked together somehow, and Yunho looked at the floor for a second before asking.

“Mingi ... why ... why do you feel _guilty_? I mean- I could understand if you felt scared because of the specific power you have, but why guilty I don't ... I just don't get it ...”

The red-haired froze and Yunho realized how clumsy that sounded and tried to add :

“Oh god I'm sorry I didn't meant it this way, like I'm sure I can't get it but-”

“Yunho, stop apologizing it's fine.”

Silence filled the air once more, Yunho holding his breath in front of a Mingi whose eyes were hidden behind his red locks.

“You can get it actually. What you're doing now. Killing people for money. What if it got your family killed ?”

Yunho sucked in a breath and answered carefully :

“I probably would stop. But not after making them pay for killing my mother and brother.”

“But what if you're the reason they're dead.”

“Why would-”

“What if _you_ had killed them. Accidentally. After a fight, because they had discovered what you were doing of your free time.”

And it clicked. Yunho understood, and his mouth stayed open, his eyes filled with sorrow, and his heart clenched.

“Mingi ...”

“I killed my family. A few months ago. I was a small gang leader, dealing drugs but never taking them, beating other gangs up, using my powers to start harmless fires on deserted buildings to send a message. The streets were mine, the city was mine. I had managed to keep my identity hidden, using a certain part of my powers that makes a sort of mask appear on my face. A mask of hell. People started calling me Agma. _Devil_. I liked it, it made me sound powerful and frightening. My family knew nothing about that, and I wanted it to stay that way. My older sister was entering University, everything was going well. I started at 15, and for 5 years I stayed unknown. Until everything slipped. My gang had grown more powerful and big, and they wanted to take down bigger things. I didn't want innocent people to get injured, so we started our own laws. Rotten politicians, rapists, fathers or mothers whom beat down their children ... we attacked those. My sister got caught in the crossfire one night when we were attacking a store who's boss we knew was into kidnapping children to sell them at the black market. She had never gotten as close to me as she did that night and immediately recognized me.”

He took a deep breath and Yunho's hand squeezed his gently, as a reminder that he was here, and that it was fine. But it wasn't. Mingi was feeling his body heat up from emotion and the last thing he wanted was to hurt Yunho.

“I came home the night and she and my parents were waiting for me in the living room. They knew. About everything. I mean it wasn't hard, everyone knew what business Agma was running down the streets, but no one knew who Agma was. Things got heated, literally. I was born with these powers, so they knew about it and had always encourage me to control them so I could so something good. I disappointed them so much. Even at 20 it's such a hard punch in the guts when you realized you did them wrong ... We started yelling and arguing and I don't even remember how it happened,” he had let go of Yunho's hand and had both his hands pressed on either side of his head, rocking his body back and forth on the bed. His body heat kept increasing but it didn't stop Yunho from reaching to him.

“Shh Mingi calm down it's alright, you're alright now. I understand what happened, you don't have to live through it ever again. It was a mistake. A huge fucking mistake and at your place, I'd probably feel as bad but listen to me, look at me Mingi,” he forced the other's head up by pulling on his chin, only to see hot tears leaving red trails on his cheeks. He was burning himself while crying. “You changed. You were a spoiled kid who thought the world belonged to him and that you'd always be king of this world, but life decided otherwise. I know this feeling, I experienced it before they threatened my brother. I felt unstoppable, that I could bring him and my mother everything they wanted. Turns out I can't.”

“I killed them Yunho, I-,” he choked on a sob and Yunho fell on his knees in front of him, taking him into his arms, forehead on his shoulder.

“I know, I know. But you know what ? They'd be so fucking proud of you now ! You saved the world ! You saved Korea ! You save Keonhee , Mingi ! You used your powers to help people, not condemn them ! You did something that would made them proud !”

He was right, once more Yunho was right, but it hurt to hear it. To wrap his mind around it. It seemed so much easier to just hate himself and stay hidden and alone for the rest of his life than moving on and deciding that he should do something good.

“But that's a one shot ! What if, what i-if one day I lose control again ! What if my emotions get the better off me again and I hurt someone I care about again ! I can't take that risk ... I can't let anyone in,” slowly he slithered his hands out of Yunho's and tried to sit further on the bed, but the man caught on what he was trying to do immediately and his face turned dark.

“Hell no !”

The exclamation surprised the red-haired and he jumped in surprise, Yunho now standing all tall and proud in front of him.

“I won't let you push everyone away just because you're scared ! That's not how life fucking works !”

Mingi was angry at those words. Yunho couldn't understand, how could he have the contention to-

“I killed people ! And unlike you, I did it because I wanted to ! Because I judged it necessary ! Did it stopped me from having a life ?! No ! I might not be able to sleep for a full night since I was 15, but I didn't run away from my family ! It didn't stop me from having friends, or date people ! Should it have ?! Possibly ! I mean, I never knew who was my next target, and it could've been any of them ! But even with this Damocles' sword above my head, I lived my life as fully as I could,” he took a deep breath, pain in his eyes, but not for him, but Mingi. “You can't stop yourself from living, just because of _what if_ 's Mingi. That's not living. And if Hongjoong saw something in you, then it means that you can see it too. You deserve to let yourself have a second chance. You were angry, scared, and yet when you used your powers, you controlled them.”

Yunho had been screaming, and so he was panting heavily, catching his breath while he spoke the last words more quietly.

“Why ... Why do you want me to see this so much ? Why are you hanging to me so much ?” it took a few minutes of silence for the red-haired to finally say something, and he couldn't help the question.

Yunho smiled gently, and sat on the bed next to Mingi, close enough so their hands brushed, but far enough so the younger could scout away if he wanted to.

“Because I like you. We might not know much, and call me a romantic, but I think it's more important to know someone in a life or death situation, that stupid shit about favorite colours or birth date. Someone could be a saint all their lives, only to turn into the devil when they're threatened, and that's what makes a different. I am seeing you at your worst and best at the same time, and if the situation was different ... I would've liked to take you out to coffee to know you better,” Yunho had a very genuine smile. He didn't threw himself on the first person to come because he was lonely, he was really interested in Mingi.

And that filled the younger's heart with a warm feeling he never thought he'd feel again. Unlike the rest of his body his heart had been frozen every since his family incident, and he never expected a boy, a human boy, to warm it up for him.

“August 9th.”

Yunho blinked and turned to him.

“What ?”

“August 9th. My birth date. And my favorite colour is red,” he smiled, eyes losing themselves in Yunho's dark pools, the golden boy in front of him smiling too and even laughing a little.

He hugged Mingi, the red-haired not expecting it at all, but losing himself in the embrace soon enough, forgetting one peculiar detail : his scars, that Yunho could see very well from his spot with his head on Mingi's shoulder. And he knew Yunho saw them. He felt it. But he didn't hear a suck in of breath, a gasp, he didn't felt Yunho go rigid in his arms. No he only felt sweet and tender fingers running down his skins, tracing the outline of the visible scars on his back, before a gentle kiss was pressed again his neck, making him shiver.

They parted only slightly, Mingi's hand falling from Yunho's shoulder blades to his ribs, both looking deeply in each other's eyes.

“Can I kiss you ?”

“Yes please.”

If you asked them, they wouldn't remember who asked who, and who said yes. They would only remember that in the end, they kissed, shyly at first, a first time together, dry lips against wet ones, only moving against one another slowly and curiously, to discover.

Then Yunho bit on the other's lower lip and draw a gasp from Mingi, deepening the kiss by mixing their tongues. Mingi's hands had grabbed Yunho's sweater on his sides, and he felt Yunho's strong arms wrapped around his body, one hand holding his nape and the other caressing his cheek.

They made out for a while like this, before sleep caught to them as well as the need to breath, and they smiled like loving fools.

“Thank you,” said Mingi, Yunho not even asking why, understanding without words.

“We should sleep a little. The night is well started and we'll be a mess if we don't get a little bit of sleep,” Yunho started to stand up, probably wishing to not impose himself to Mingi, but the other held him back, other plans in head.

“Do you want to stay ? I mean ... I'm tired too so I want to sleep but, well ... It's been a while since I had a really restful night and I was thinking that maybe you-” he was rambling and Yunho caught him with a little giggle.

“I'll stay.”

They changed into only wearing their shirts and underwear, and got in the covers of Mingi's bed, spooning and completely unaware of what had taken place a few rooms away, the red-haired's body heat hiding the cold air.

On the floor right underneath theirs, Yeosang was standing in front of Jongho's door, hesitating between knocking and just ignoring himself and go back to his room.

He took a deep breath and settled for knocking. Tomorrow he'd go back to prison, the Joker hadn't done anything to save his ass out of this shitty situation, and Yeosang knew Jongho would go back to his town and forget about him. He needed a few words with him first. When he received the authorization to come in he did, shyly closing the door behind him and staying back pressed against it. He was looking at the ground and not at Jongho directly, and the younger felt something was off.

“Yeosang ? Everything alright ?”

“Jongho ... there's something I want to talk to you about ...”


	8. Episode 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys ! So, last chapter got a lot of comments about some things you'd like to see more in the fiction, and I will take them in count. Unfortunately the changes won't be visible right away, nor in the next chapter but I have a small final arc in mind that will normally satsify (all) your wishes !  
> In the mean time, here comes chapter 7, second part of chapter 6 so Warning for smut, and TW for abuse, rape, and depression, if you're uncomfortable with these subject I suggest strongly that you pass the entire JongSang part at the beginning of the chapter. The tags are updated, not everything has been said yet so there will be more to come. I can't wait for you to read it !
> 
> I hope you'll like it, 
> 
> Enjoy !

The bed was on the right wall when Yeosang came in, and Jongho had his makeup removed, showing his bare face. The blond was surprised to see the younger so chilled, but then again, he had told Yeosang his name, and seemed to trust him blindly when clearly he shouldn't - in Yeosang's opinion.

“Sure, what is it ?” answered Jongho at the older's previous words.

Yeosang was snapped out of his thoughts and almost froze, eyes widened like if he had been caught red-handed doing something he wasn't suppose to which was stupid, because his whole life was about that and he never felt as scared as he did now.

“You can come closer you know ? I don't bite,” joked Jongho. He was on the bed, back pressed against some pillows, head on the headboard. He had taken his jacket off too, showing off his muscles that weren't really hidden by his tank top, and he had bandages wrapped around his head, probably for the blood he lost earlier.

Yeosang did came closer, sitting shyly on the chair next to the bed and probably used by a medic earlier, still not taking his eyes off the ground.

“How's your head ?”

“The pain is nothing I can't manage, but I took pain killers though. They say it's light, no concussion or anything, so I think I'm doing pretty well for someone who was dropped from a Goddess' shoulder,” he was joking. Again.

And Yeosang couldn't understand how he was taking things so lightly when he could have died.

“Why did you chose to become a hero Jongho ?”

The man lost his smile and sighed.

“Was that really what you wanted to talk about ?”

“I would like to know ... please ?”

Hearing the blond politely ask and seeing him acting so small on himself made a weird feeling grow in Jongho, but not one he liked because he had no idea why Yeosang was acting the way he was and it made him worried.

He had already given the blond his name and face, if he wanted, he could search the police records and find his file, so Jongho figured he could tell him ; not that he had anything to hide.

“It wasn't always like this,” he started. “I inherited my power from my mother. She was the Black Canary. I can see her name rings a few bells,” smiled sadly the man when Yeosang's head snapped up.

Damn right it did. Black Canary was known to be the fiercest gang leader in Seoul back when the blond and the Joker where nothing but kids. She had a wide control over the City's underground, and many politicians fell in her claws. No one knew what power she had but everyone knew it was destructive : no one was left alive to tell the story, but entire buildings were brought down.

And Jongho was her son ? That explained so much if he had indeed inherited his power from her ...

“She never wanted to take a break. She was forced to when she fell pregnant with me ... my father probably one of her many one night stands, I never knew or cared to be honest. She gave birth to me and started training me to take the lead after her. I never really wanted that, but when the only thing you've known all your life are gang fights and _no pain no gain_ , you don't see another alternative for yourself. When she realized that I had her power ? Making me Seoul's next leader was her goal. If she hadn't been killed, your Joker and I would've probably had to fight for the City's control. But she was killed by cops, and I was left alone.”

Yeosang remember hearing about it in the news. That had been ten years ago. Jongho was only 10 at the time if he calculated correctly from the quick break he had heard of Black Canary.

“What did you do after ?”

“A little bit like Mingi. The gang didn't want a kid to lead them and frankly ? I didn't want to either. The fact is, an enemy took the opportunity to steal my mother's gang, and pushed me away from the leadership. I had to run for my life every night with his men after my ass. Until I was 16, I only knew of theft, murders and destruction of public spaces to defend myself. That is until Waller found me. It was around the same time she found San. Hongjoong took us both under his wings, but because of what I had done, I had a minor punishment to do. A year in a rehabilitation center for teenagers. I like to say this year never happened.”

Yeosang knew better than to pry, the year he became Kangley Quinn wasn't much better.

“Then I got trained. By military. They trained me to their combat skills, and I had soundproofed rooms at my disposition to train my power. I didn't see Hongjoong so much, that's why he's closer to San. Then they offered me a deal : either I came back to the streets with a mask and on the side of the law with a clean criminal record, either they threw me back out where they found me and I'd go back to a life of hell.”

He turned to Yeosang with mischief in his eyes.

“Needless to say, I accepted,” he winked, and the blond couldn't help but chuckle, realization hitting him.

“That's why you seemed to know what you were talking about when I told you to diagnose me,” the smile had left his face rather quickly, and he had turned a little gray.

“Partially. I know what it's like to have to fake something in order to survive. I was offered a chance to change that.”

“I can never be offered that.”

“You don't open your eyes on what's in front of you Yeosang.”

Jongho had came closer and had lifted his hand to reach one of the boy's, but the blond's mind was triggered by heavy and violent memories, seeing a white gloved hand lifted in the same movement only to fall on his cheeks painfully. In a reflex he jolted backwards, curling onto himself on the sofa he was sitting on, eyes closed and arms crossed in front of his face to protect it. A scared whimper escaped from his lips and Jongho froze, clearly not expecting a reaction like this.

He only wanted to take the boy's hand, why was he acting as if Jongho tried to hit him ? Yeosang hadn't been acting this way during the whole day, and now that they were finally settled and unpressurized, Yeosang was still on his guards around him ...

No. Not him. Not Jongho. The Joker.

Jongho's eyes shot open in horror and he gently let his hand fall back, calling softly :

“Yeosang ?”

_Yeosang darling, stop hiding it's not funny anymore !~_

“Yeosang, I won't hurt you, I promise ...”

_Come out you filthy rat ! You screwed up and you deserve to be punished !_

“Yeosang I swear, I would never hurt you, please open your eyes ...” a gentle hand caressing his naked knee.

_Stop looking at me like a kicked puppy ! It just makes me want to hit you more !_

Yeosang took a deep breath and peaked a look between his crossed arms, only to see a worried Jongho with furrowed brows, and a held in his hand touching his leg, as if he was ready to take it away at the first signal from Yeosang.

The voices in the blond's mind started to separate from one another, and he felt his heart beating again, faster and harder : he wasn't with the Joker. He was with Jongho. Jongho wouldn't hurt him. Jongho promised. Jongho cared about Yeosang.

“Hey,” blue wet eyes shot up to meet black worried ones. “Yeosang ? Are you feeling better ? I'm sorry if I scared you it wasn't my attention.”

“It's fine,” Yeosang took his arms away but kept his legs against his chest and feet planted on the edge of the chair, keeping a barrier between him and the youngest.

“It's not, but I won't force it out of you. You said you wanted to talk to me about some thing ?” Jongho hated this. Hated that he probably knew why Yeosang had acted like he expected to be hit, hated that he knew who to blame for that, and hated that he wanted to talk about it but didn't want to force it out of the blond.

Yeosang bit on his lower lip and threw him a glance that meant everything and nothing at the same time, but he understood. He wanted to talk about _that_.

Yeosang put on leg down and ripped the rest of his fishnet off, showing to Jongho a very long scar across his thigh. It was thin and didn't look deep, but it was very long.

“I had forgotten to ready the C4 for him.”

Jongho sucked in a breath but before he could say anything, Yeosang turned on the sofa and showed his back, lifted his shirt to reveal his lower back, and a bullet wound scar.

“He used me as a shield.”

Then dropped the shirt at the bottom but pulled on it at the top to show a shoulder, and there was another bullet wound scar.

“I talked back at him.”

He turned around and took his glove and golden spiked bracelet off, Jongho not seeing it at first because of the tattoos on his wrist, but then noticing what the ink was hiding : two very large and deep cut marks, right there on the veins.

“I tried to escape from him. Definitely. I wanted it to end, but I didn't know how I could. I didn't have any contact, any help. Wooyoung and I hadn't seen each other since a very long time ... So I tried this. It's not really his doing, but ... I count them too,” there was a sad smile on his face, and a lonely tear, filled with remorse and pink make-up.

Yeosang then took his shirt back and lifted it again, this time showing his thin abs and chest, and one, very impressive and scary scar, right in the middle of the blond's chest, clearly looking like a knife wound.

“He tried to kill me.”

And he dropped the shirt, the silence falling the same way around them. He hadn't look at Jongho in the eyes again, and the black-haired was too shocked to say anything at first. He already had noticed a few scars on the older's body, not paying attention to them as they were scars he also had on his own body, but those ones. Those hidden ones. They made a deep and deaf anger resonate deep within himself, and with it the need to protect and pamper the boy in front of him.

Yeosang's cry was silent, warm tears falling on his cheeks, and he didn't seem to expect words from Jongho, because then he was talking again :

“I don't know if what I feel for him is love. I know that it was, once ... and it's the only thing I've ever known. His way of loving me, and my way of loving him. So I must've done something wrong, because I know that's not how we're supposed to love, so why ... why do I stay ? When I know, why do I- What am I scared of ?!”

Yeosang was full on sobbing now, and Jongho finally reached to him a second time, only touching his hand at first, hating how it made the blond jump in fear, then taking it whole, intertwining their fingers and tugging the boy closer so he could sit on the bed.

“There is nothing wrong with your way of loving Yeosang. You dedicated your whole life and soul to him, and _he_ was the one not able to see it. He is the one whose way of loving is wrong.”

Slowly, he had made Yeosang kneel on the bed, then come closer to him, Jongho himself moved from the headboard to meet the blond halfway on the bed. His hand had left Yeosang's and was lingering on his waist, the blond deciding he could act to and throwing a leg over Jongho's hip, but tenderly, sweetly, just to make himself comfortable.

He was feeling so much lighter now that he had spoken to Jongho, but there was still a weight on him, on his neck more peculiarly, and Jongho was quick to see it.

“Can I take that please ? You're not his pet Yeosang. You shouldn't have a necklace with his name on it,” he asked, tugging at the choker.

“I like it ...”

“Did he have a necklace with your name on it ?”

Jongho's fingers might look like him, thick and powerful, but he was oh so delicate when he made his way to the buckle on Yeosang's nape to undo the necklace.

“No ....”

“Then this doesn't belong on your neck,” he said, taking the weight off Yeosang's neck and throwing the leather and metal jewelry across the room. Yeosang's hands wrapped around his own neck and massaged the skin to get rid of the choking sensation, eyes closed, tears still falling, unaware of Jongho's agitation.

The later had taken a cotton and some make-up remover and used his fingers to gently lift Yeosang's head a little, pushing away some pink and blue locks. Blue eyes, so pretty and full of life opened and Jongho had to remember how to breath.

“What are you doing ?”

“I'm cleaning your face. Your make-up is ruined.”

Yeosang only stared at him with a stern expression more tears gathering in his eyes and Jongho smiled, aware of what could be going on in his head. He would show the blond what love really felt and looked like.

Yeosang's hands had fallen on his own thighs, still parted on either side of Jongho's hips, and the later gently ran the first cotton on the boy's mouth. The red lipstick was quick to go away, but tainted the whole thing with a deep red. A palish pink appeared and Jongho smiled a little more.

He threw the cotton away and took another one for the eyes. He started with the right one, getting the blue and black away, having to clean to the boy's temple with how smudged the eyeshadow was.

Then he did the left eye with the pink, and for this one, he felt Yeosang hold his breath. He didn't know why until he was left a little confused as to why the make-up refused to get cleaned right under the boy's eye, at the corner. Then he understood it was a birth mark.

“Oh I remember seeing it on your old pictures,” he said, and sensed the change in Yeosang's behaviour.

“You don't like it either ?”

Yeosang looked ready to cry again, and Jongho was quick to muffle his sobs with a wet cloth he took to clean the blond's face of the remover. When he took it off Yeosang was a little stunned and pouting and Jongoh had a small laugh.

“On the opposite. I love it. It's as pretty as you.”

The air grew heavy again, and Jongho scouted Yeosang closer into his arms, feeling the boy shake from head to toe. He was still scared, despite knowing he trust the youngest, but the later was ready to be patient, and as helping as necessary.

“I want to take care of you Yeosang, you deserve to be taken care off like a prince, but I won't do anything you don't wish for,” he slowly changed their position, gently letting the blond lay on the bed, caging his body with his knees between the other's thighs, one hand on his waist, the other holding him so he wouldn't crush Yeosang.

He waited for the boy to give him a green light, but even when it was done, he heard a little :

“Don't hurt me,” it was said in a whisper, hid behind tears and pleading eyes, and Jongho hated the goddamn Clown of Seoul so much right now. He kissed the wet cheek and said :

“I won't.”

“ _Please_ don't hurt me, d-don't-”

“I won't Yeosang, I won't I won't, I'm not him, I won't,” Jongho kissed him right when a sob was leaving his lips, choking it down with his own.

_(smut)_

Jongho's mouth was moving against Yeosang's so slowly and sweetly that the later was discovering how it felt to be taken care off all over again. Before the Joker, he had tender nights with his one night lovers, he also had rough sex, quickies, he had all type of experience. But when the Joker got to him, Yeosang was nothing but a toy. His pleasure never was a priority again, and neither did his desires and wants. If he wasn't in the mood, he'd be beaten up until he was unconscious and couldn't fight back. He didn't had sex for years. He was raped, several times a week yes, but he never had sex with the Joker. He acted like the sex symbol he had been turned into as Seoul's Underground Queen, but that was it.

So of course he shivered and shook of fear when Jongho started touching him. He had gotten used to being violated and hurt, his mind wouldn't wrap around the idea of being loved so soon.

Seeing him still holding his breath every time his fingers touched his skin, Jongho felt the need the stop the kiss and let his lips wander on the older's neck. He pressed very soft pecks, hands moving on Yeosang's body only to feel it's shape and nothing more.

“Yeosang, we can stop if you don't wish to go further. I will never force you into doing something you don't want to.”

Yeosang took his time to think, then nodded.

“I want it, I do it's just, I'm ... I'm scared,” once again the last word was breathed out like a whisper, but Jongho kissed it right out of Yeosang's mouth.

“I'll take care of you. I won't hurt you. Never. Stop me immediately if something is wrong, alright ?”

Yeosang nodded again, but Jongho wanted to be sure :

“Use your voice sugar.”

“Y-yes, I will stop you if it gets too much.”

That's all Jongho needed before he took his shirt off. He guessed Yeosang was probably used to either being fucked fully dressed or having his clothes ripped off his body, and so he delicately took the time to undo his shorts, so the blond knew what he was doing at every second.

The kiss became more heated the more Yeosang gave himself in it, soon moaning slightly as Jongho pressed his tongue against his.

It was all about tenderness and caring. Very slowly he moved from his mouth to his cheek, then his jaw, his neck, slowly going down on his exposed collarbone, before directly moving to the tender skin under his navel where he bite down very slightly, making Yeosang throw his head back with a loud gasp, eyes closed, hands fisting in Jongho's hair. His fish-netted legs were bent on the youngest's shoulder, but he focused on the upper part of the man's body first, kissing his way up and lifted the shirt a little more as he went.

From his navel he kissed his abs, then the scar in the middle of his chest, tongue pocking at already hard nipples and smiling against the skin of his torso when he heard whines. Yeosang's shirt was taken off too, and the blond tugged on Jongho's pants. Those were gone fast as well, the blond taking advantage off the black-haired's body being off of him to take down his short and fishnets too, showing off more black ink, some of which had the Joker's name of pet name on his skin.

Jongho saw it and decided he'd leave his own trace on Yeosang's body, like a lover would and not an enslaver. Both of them were in their underwear and he flopped on the bed between Yeosang's parted thighs, arms under them to let his hands on the top, groping the white skin.

“J-jongho please,” Yeosang's eyes hadn't stop tearing, but Jongho knew there was a new emotion here : relief, pleasure, _happiness_.

“I'm here sugar, I'm here,” Jongho got one hand on Yeosang's hip and the later grabbed it, squeezing it hard when he felt a kiss on his thigh. Jongho left hickeys on his flesh where the Joker's name had been tattooed, and even it was far from being enough to hide the mark, it would still leave a stain.

Before he moved back to Yeosang, Jongho lifted himself on his hand and checked the drawers of the night stands on either side of the bed, smirking when he found what he was looking for : lube. They were in a hotel room after all, of course they'd be lube. Yeosang's eyes followed the bottle when Jongho put it on the bed next to their bodies, before he closed his eyes again and sighed loudly as lips kissed his neck, and teeth nibbed his skin.

He decided he wouldn't let the other do everything, he was not unable to please either ! He moved his hands to Jongho's underwear, pulling them off, the younger finishing to do it for him, and wrapped long and pale fingers around Jongho's red and quivering lengths. He was happy to hear an intake of breath and a shaking grunt, feeling the male's body tense above him. He was the one who initiated the kiss, going straight for a heated one, tongue meeting for an open mouth kiss before their lips closed around them. Jongho tugged on his underwear too and soon, was jerking him off, making a deep growl followed by a moan from Yeosang.

They riled each other up until the blond had enough, and whispered :

“Please Jongho, please take care of me.”

And how could the other refused if it was asked so nicely ?

Yeosang finally saw one of the first positive thing of his detention : he had the time to heal of every physical injuries caused by the Joker, his damaged bottom being one of them.

So yes he started shaking again when Jongho opened the lube, coated it on his fingers and warmed it up. Yes he was shaking when he felt the first finger catching his rims with lube before slowly getting in, holding his breath for a pain to come, but it never did.

Don't get him wrong, it wasn't high pleasure straight away, but he felt nothing more than a little tug, nothing that had him screaming in pain, begging Jongho to stop.

Thinking about it again the Joker never used lube or took the time to prep Yeosang before their _sexual intercourse_ , and that thought brought more tears to the blond's eyes, worrying Jongho.

“Do I hurt you ? Do you want me to stop ?”

Yeosang took a deep breath and looked at Jongho.

“No, keep going, please keep going,” and so he did.

He opened Yeosang nicely, always making sure to look at his face and wait for any sign of discomfort, taking all the time in the world because he wasn't exactly small, but wasn't that big either. He just wanted Yeosang to feel as less pain as possible, not pain at all even !

Everything was too much for the blond but he didn't say. He let the tears crying his cheeks softly, he kept moaning and shivering and feeling so much pleasure he did not know what to do with it ! It had been so long since he had felt that way, everything was so fast and violent in his life, every aspect of it ! But now everything was slow, controlled, careful, he was the one Jongho was thinking about, everything was directed at him and for the first time in years, he really felt loved and cared.

The pleasure was building extremely fast and he almost came when Jongho finally slid home, his pre-cum leaking member slicking of lube and Yeosang couldn't take it. It was so good and he felt so hot ! His nails were digging crescents on Jongho's back, despite the deliberately slow pace, the one Yeosang needed.

What turned him on ever more was hearing, feeling Jongho taking as much pleasure as him in this. Even if everything was mostly focused on Yeosang, the youngest wasn't left frustrated and even seemed to have a major kink for care.

“Jongho move, God move.”

Jongho did. He was already moving but he started going faster, still rolling his hips and not snapping them to keep a tenderness and a gentleness, his movements strong but very long and leaving Yeosang breathless, gasping and moaning with little _ah-ahn !_ at every thrust.

The heat is his stomach was building up faster every second and when he felt close to the edge, he panted :

“I'm close, Jong- I'm- _ngh !_ ”

Jongho had heard him very clearly and leaned on one side, Yeosang's legs bending further, thanks to his natural flexibility, and he thrust harder, one hand wrapping around Yeosang's own untouched length.

“Cum, when you need to cum Yeosang,” the deep voice of Jongho, his hip's rolls, the tenderness of his touches and the look of pure adoration in his eyes, all of that brought Yeosang to the edge, and with fascination the younger watched him threw his head back, mouth open in a silent scream and eyes shut, nails grabbing at his shoulders _hard_ as he came, more than he ever did in years.

Feeling the older clench around him and hearing his loud moan when he started to be overstimulated was also enough for Jongho and he came deep inside Yeosang, only now realizing they hadn't used a condom.

They both needed a while for their breath to be in check, Jongho now soft inside of Yeosang, for the former to worry :

“I'm sorry I didn't use a condom I don't know if-”

“I'm clean Jongho don't worry. I was tested when I arrived at the Detention Center,” Yeosang's cheeks were still warm with dried tears, and Jongho lost himself looking at the beautiful man underneath him.

“I'm clean too, always had protected sex until, well-” he blushed a little bit, and Yeosang laughed heartedly, bodies still pressed against each other, just enjoying. “Let's get you really clean, yes ?”

_(end of smut)_

Yeosang also had the pleasure to realize that Jongho took after-care really at heart, and he was carried bridal style to the bathroom where Jongho ran a bath. They didn't put any clothes one when they got back to bed, only covered by the blankets.

“Jongho ?” they were facing each other and Jongho could see the look of absolute bliss and how wrecked Yeosang was.

“Yes ?”

“Thank you.”

Jongho kissed him, like their first, slowly, lovingly.

“You don't need to thank me.”

And they fell asleep like that, Yeosang's nose in Jongho's neck, the strong arms of the youngest wrapped around the blond's body, legs mixed together.

___

Wooyoung knew by his best friend's face that he would change his life tonight. He didn't dare say anything about it, ask any questions, he just let Yeosang walk through the process of this change alone, to not rush him.

Wooyoung knew there was a lot he was ignorant off about the Joker's treatment on his friend. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know everything, and he would never ask anything that could either get Yeosang in danger or make him uncomfortable to the point he'd panic, but the younger was not naive. He knew what the Joker was capable off.

So when he heard by the hotel's green plants that Yeosang had left his room, he slightly opened his door to see his friend standing in front of Jongho's. And he let him. He didn't try to interrupt or anything, he knew it was a necessary process in his life.

“Wooyoung ?”

The lilac-haired closed the door of the hotel room he and San had gone into. He didn't even remember whose room it was in the first place, and they didn't really care, entering it together as if it was normal.

San was sitting cross-legged on the bed, a few books around him and eating snacks. Wooyoung had learned that Enchantress was really consuming and that the older had to make sure to stay fed if he didn't want to risk fainting of exhaustion.

“It's nothing. Yeosang left his room and I wanted to make sure everything was alright.”

“Oh ... I understand. Where did he go ?”

“Jongho's.”

San's eyes opened wide and he stared at Wooyoung thoughtful.

“Can't say I'm surprised,” shrugged the younger, “Something happened in the maze between them and knowing Yeosang, he needs to talk it out with Jongho.”

“Do you think something good can come out of this ?” San seemed to mean more than just Yeosang and Jongho. He and Wooyoung too had a _moment_ in the maze, but thinking about it now only left Wooyoung with the strong impression everything had been said already for them both.

He smiled gently and walked towards San on the bed, sitting in front of him in an amazon position, one hand caressing the other's cheek.

“I'm sure it can. They both seem to understand each other. For Yeosang, he found Jongho, someone entirely different from the Joker,” he looked down at the bed, whispering the last words : “Yeosang and I need someone who can take care of us. After what we've been through with people we trusted ...”

San kissed the inside of his palm and smiled back, taking Wooyoung aback a few seconds. Silence came back in the room, the only noise being the red and black-haired turning his book's pages. After coming to the hotel, San couldn't help the feeling clenching at his heart that they weren't done yet. It had been too easy. Yes, they had almost died, it took him and Enchantress half an hour to fix the mess, Jongho almost had a concussion and Hongjoong had been shot by an arrow from Halmang, but it left no trace, and in the end they all came back alive and well. It was not that he couldn't appreciate a job well done, but even Enchantress had let him know that She had a bad feeling too, and San knew better than to ignore Her thoughts and instincts.

So as soon as he could, he dived back into his books. Wooyoung was patiently staying at his side, resting from the very exhausting night and playing with the little flowers of the balcony while laying on the bed.

The lilac-haired really hope he'd be able to not only get time off his prison sentence, but maybe have it canceled entirely. After seeing how green and natural Jeju Island was, Wooyoung was very much tempted to try and get himself a contract stating he had the right to live on half the Island as long as he didn't attack the humans on the other half and they didn't attack him. He wasn't really confident in the fact that Amanda Waller would agree, but he could at least try.

Three hours went by and he didn't realize that he had fallen asleep until he was awoken by a hurried and confused San. But waking up abruptly someone who's been used to being woken up by people who wanted to kill him was not his brightest idea, and he realized that when Wooyoung's hand shot up to his neck and squeezed, the vines on his forearm following to give him more strength.

The younger soon realized what was going on and he gasped, letting go of the older all together :

“Oh my god San ! I'm sorry are you okay ?!”

It took a little bit of coughing but he was _fine_.

“Wooyoung, problems, I was right,” his voice was still a little hoarse and he had to clear his throat a few times.

“You were right ? About what ?”

“It _was_ too easy ! Gods and Goddesses who wish to summon back one of their own can't find humans willing to sacrifice themselves as easily as they did with the archaeologist ! The fact that She didn't kill at least half of us when trying to protect him was weird, but I didn't know how much it was !”

“What do you mean San ? What does that mean ?”

“She didn't care about him ! She didn't care that we took Jaeng away because he was too weak !”

“Too weak ? Didn't care- wait I don't understand shit ! I thought he was Her human sacrifice She needed him, right ?!”

San shook his head and sat them better on the bed.

“Let me start over. For a human sacrifice to be powerful and efficient, the human needs to be willing to sacrifice themselves, but they also need a natural physical and mental strength ! Jaeng had none, of either of them ! So yeah, if She hadn't had any other choice, Halmang would've sacrificed him, but then _we_ showed up !”

“Alright now I'm back on track. OK, so, then what ?”

“You know what happened, we fought, I undid the markings - and that's how I noticed how weak Jaeng was - and She got pissed but we managed to stop Her !”

“Well yes, and no, we stopped Her but She ran away ...”

“Yeah, because we didn't destroy Her summon tablet, but that's not the important point here, at least not now. The important point is, that if a God or a Goddess can't use the human sacrifice now, they have a way of marking the man or woman they find fitting for the job so when the time comes, they can call the human to them !”

San showed Wooyoung a page in one of the books, showing the drawing of what looked like a Goddess glowing in purple, while pointing at a human. On the human's drawing was visible a mark, the same colour as the Goddess, purple. The other picture showed the human going to the Goddess, but their whole body was wrapped in thin purple lines. A quick look at the wrote pages taught Wooyoung that reading wouldn't help him, as he didn't know the language.

“So, the human will be like ... mind-controlled ? To go back to the Goddess ?”

“Exactly.”

“And you think one of us will suddenly act like a zombie and go back to the Goddeds ?”

San's eyes turned dark.

“I'm serious ! Something is going to happen and I can feel it Wooyoung !”

“I'm sorry San but none of us are marked or have been acting weird-” he cut himself when he realized that he was wrong. The pointed look San gave him got his blood running cold in his veins and he looked back at the drawings in the book.

“Doesn't this look familiar to you ?!” asked San, starting to panic now that Wooyoung had caught onto him.

“Shit,” breathed out the younger.

Purple. A purple arrow. Hongjoong.

“That's not even the worst part !”

“How can it not be ?!”

“Because it is not ! When a human is directly marked by a God or a Goddess, there is no seal opening shit ! They go the God, they get killed right away and the process in completed !”

“Isn't there a way to stop them ?! Like for Jaeng ?!”

“The only way to undo a marking this powerful would either be the possession of an extra-dimensional entity !”

Wooyoung turned to him mouth agape.

“Enchantress.”

“Yes, the other way would be to stop the human's body without killing it.”

“How do you do that ?! It's impossible !”

“You freeze their heart, just like I said earlier in the elevator.”

A heavy silence fell, both looking at each other with one precise name in mind for this : Seonghwa. It had came out as a joke earlier, but they knew if needed, the eldest would use his powers ... But on Hongjoong ? They were not so sure ...

But if the Colonel really was the next human sacrifice, he should bare a mark, something. Wooyoung spoke his thought up to San.

“There was nothing right after, but the marking takes a few minutes or hours to be effective and visible.”

“We should check now, it's been three hours” said Wooyoung, and San nodded, both of them jumping off the bed and slamming their door open.

The floors were big and they had no idea what room was Hongjoong in, so they decided to look for Amanda Waller, Wooyoung more than aware that the woman would probably be a pain in the ass.

“Why would I tell you that ?!”

They had found her in the living room of the hotel, talking strategy and deployment with the soldiers.

“We didn't think we'd need to know so we didn't ask,” hurried San. “Please, it's important.”

“Mister Choi, as you can see I am very much busy right now, doing very important things too. I don't have time for your games. You should have asked that to Kim earlier.”

“We might have another situation on our shoulders in a few minutes !” replied Wooyoung.

“We already have one here on our arms Jung, so I suggest you back off and go back to bed or I'll have you thrown back into this chemical box you like so much before the transport back to Ulleong,” she snapped, showing the box in which Wooyoung had been contained a few hours prior.

The lilac-haired turned really pale when he saw it, and San's eyes flashed green, pushing the younger behind him with a hand on his arm protectively.

“He's just trying to help, you won't hurt him because you're sleep-deprived,” threatened San.

“Or what ? You seem to forget I have my ways to hold you back too, and being Kim's little protégé won't do any good to you now that the job is done.”

San really tried to stay calm but this woman was fucking stubborn :

“But it is not ! Hongjoong got shot by the Goddess right after I neutralised Jaeng, and I thought it was weird so I looked it up !” he threw his book open on the table in front of Amanda, screwing up the maps and pictures. “There ! It says right here that they used this technique to mark new human sacrifice ! He's next ! And soon he'll go back to Her and She'll be able to finish the ceremony ! If it's not done yet,” breathed out the boy.

Amanda finally seemed to take them seriously and looked at the book, eyes darting to the maps under it. She shot both boys a tired look and sighed.

“No one saw the Colonel since he came back, and I've been down there the whole night. He didn't leave the building, yet. Are you sure of what you're advancing ?”

“Only partially. The arrow didn't leave a mark right away but now something should be visible and if we want his room number it's to go and check !”

“I need to tell you something first,” she moved San's book and they could both see the new seismic graphs and pictures of the Island that appeared changed.

“What's that ?” asked Wooyoung, hiding behind San's shoulder because he was _not_ getting close to that woman.

Amanda exchanged a look with the soldiers and answered :

“We saw a new wave of activities on Jeju Island. It seems that you are right, it's not over yet. This time the activity came from directly under the Island.”

“That's where Koenegitto's tomb is,” whispered San, looking at the pictures.

“I don't know what happened, but clearly they moved forwards and are more than a few steps ahead of us. The forest on the Island disappeared and it started to sink, tsunamis destroying the port-boarding Cities. The seismic activity went crazy and the Hallasan erupted three times since you came back.”

“So definitely not normal considering we're supposed to have succeeded,” bit Wooyoung.

“Definitely not, indeed.”

“We need to wake and tell the others !” said San.

“I'll send a few soldiers wake them up, you two come with me, we'll go get Kim.”

What none of them knew, was that a few levels up, Hongjoong was already waking up from his place next to Seonghwa, irises purple, skin pale, and as if working automatically, started to put on his clothes.

The noise was enough to startle Seonghwa, a really light sleeper ever since he was a child, whom eyed the man with confusion :

“Hongjoong ?”

He got no answer, the Colonel not even stopping getting dressed or turning to him. As if he hadn't heard him.

“Hey Hongjoong,” he sat up and grabbed one of the smaller man's arm, but it was ripped from his grip when he stood up.

That's when Seonghwa saw it : the purple mark right between Hongjoong's shoulder blades, pulsating with each heartbeat. If he didn't recognize the words, they appeared pretty clear to him when he blinked a few times, sinking in a breath and whispering :

“ _Huisaeng_ ,” the sacrifice.

Hongjoong still paid him no attention and put back on his black shirt and his boots, even fetching a black jacket Seonghwa didn't know he had. He zipped it up enough to cover himself, passed a shaking hand in his navy hair, and started to move to the door.

“Hongjoong ! Fucking shit- wait ! Hong-” he too put back on his clothes faster than he ever did, running after the younger as soon as he could. He was shocked of the sight in front of him. Hongjoong had been stopped by the soldiers whom were only checking the floor for any suspicions, and he standing tall with the two men collapsed on the floor. What the fuck was going on with him ?!

Seonghwa was too stunned to move, only watching when another row of three soldiers came in. Hongjoong started to run and slid between the legs of the one in the middle, punching him in the dick and turning around quickly. The other two had been taken aback but by their training were soon back to their duty and Hongjoong acted fast. He used the first soldier as leverage for his body as he threw his legs to grab the second soldier between them and turned around, throwing him on the ground without losing his balance as he rolled on the floor to stand back on his feet.

He was now facing Seonghwa from the other side of the corridor, but when their eyes crossed, it was the oldest who shivered of seeing Hongjoong's eyes so empty. And _purple_. The third soldier had managed to grab Hongjoong in a choking hold but the Colonel was stronger and more experienced, and so he hit the man in the head to free himself, and then an overhead kick to finish him.

Seonghwa was stunned by the violence of the smaller man, even more considering Hongjoong would never do anything to hurt the soldiers !

“What the hell ?!” he turned to see Yunho and Mingi in the door-frame of the later's room, watching the scene as shocked as them.

“Hongjoong ?” called Mingi shocked.

He didn't answer and turned around, running away from them and towards the exit stairs.

“Shit ! Hongjoong !”

“Seonghwa the fuck is going on ?”

“I don't know ! We were sleeping and he woke up and started doing shit like this !”

None spoke about why they were sleeping together in the first place, Yunho and Mingi coming out of the same room after all. They quickly got back inside to fish their things, the red-haired mostly, as Yunho didn't have any weapons or armor anymore.

“We need to get Waller !” he screamed.

“What happened here ?!”

She looked ready to activate their bombs again but San was quick to cut her off :

“Wait ! Hyung where's Hongjoong ?!”

“Gone, _he_ did this,” answered the oldest with his fist tight.

Amanda immediately took the walkie-talkie at her waist and called for backups, explaining the situation.

“Shoot on sight,” these words had everyone snapping their heads to her, shocked.

“Take the order back !” screamed San.

“He's a national danger ! I don't care about your doll house games, playtime's over and I'm taking back the lead of this operation !”

She stormed away and half of Oneus chose this moment to pop up.

“We heard everything, go save Hongjoong-hyung we'll find a way to hack onto the bombs, she won't be able to activate them if she realizes you're gone,” said Xion, already a tablet in hand.

“They'll be too busy focusing on him to mind us,” assured Hwanwoong when San tried to protest. “We'll have the other three on it too, go now !”

They didn't lose another second and ran to where Hongjoong had gone. Seonghwa was trying to freeze the whole corridor but he couldn't do much to not block the ones behind him. Hongjoong was fortunately not at the point where he'd run in the stairs and possibly break his neck, so they managed to caught him right when he was jolting through the exit door at the back of the hotel.

As soon as they got out in the open, they felt the air charged with electricity and San even felt Halmang around them, stronger than back on the Island.

“He's going for the choppers !”

Hongjoong wasn't losing time looking at the dark sky or the cloud forming a storm right above Jeju Island, and had gone to a single chopper, ignoring the military ones.

“We'll have to take one of those !” said Wooyoung, pushing everyone to it. Yeosang and Jongho had been warned by Oneus, and they joined the rest of the group a minute later. No one said anything about the hickey visible on the older's collarbone.

“What the fuck is going on ?!” asked the blond, trying to protect himself from the wind.

Wooyoung took his hand and lifted him into the chopper, Yunho doing the same for Jongho while Mingi closed the door violently behind them.

“Remember when Hongjoong got shot by that fucking Bitch ?”

“Yes !”

“No !”

Yeosang and Jongho looked at each other before the blond shook his head.

“You were out when that happened !” he explained the youngest, “what about it ?!” he turned to Wooyoung.

“She marked him ! As Her new sacrifice !”

“And he's going there on his own ?!”

“No ! He's brain-washed by the mark !”

“Shit !” cursed Jongho. He and Yeosang barely had the time to put their clothes back on, the black-haired forgetting his leather jacket while the blond had left behind his ruined fishnet thighs.

San - thanks to Enchantress - had started the chopper and was doing a two men/women job alone, using Her powers to manipulate the metal beast.

“Do we even know how to stop him ? It's different from last time isn't it ?” said Yunho, holding hand with Mingi.

“San found something about stopping the man's heart but not killing them,” said Wooyoung, only one aware.

“There's no way to do that,” snapped Seonghwa.

“The cold. Freezing his heart until his whole body is frozen,” Wooyoung knew he was taking a risk saying this, and when he saw the oldest's face turning even more pale by the second he knew he was right.

“No,” breathed out Seonghwa, remembering it's exactly what San had been talking about earlier in the elevator ; he just never thought this would apply to Hongjoong.

“It's the only way !”

“It'll kill him !”

“And so what ?! You seemed more than eager to do that earlier !”

“For fuck's sake I _care_ about him !”

The confession was enough to freeze everyone, and Killer Frost hadn't appeared yet. Yunho and Mingi were staring at Seonghwa with wide eyes and Wooyoung had turned pale too, not expecting such an honest answer.

“Alright let's calm down and try to stay focus guys ! If we're being honest we knew this was going to happen ! We all got under each others barriers, paired up and had a nice night but now we need to switch back into fight mode or we're dying tonight !” Yeosang's sane and serious words was what everyone needed to center back to the principal objective. They all understood that effectively, some duo had happened during the night, some more obvious than others, but it was neither the time nor the moment for this discussion.

“We can try and immobilise him but I don't know if that will be enough,” finally said Wooyoung in a small voice. “We ... we have to accept that if there's no other choice, if Keonegitto gets to him before we do, Hongjoong might ...” he didn't need to finish, they all understood what he was implying, and none of them liked it one bit.

But he was right. Somehow they had all accepted that what was happening was bigger than them and that they needed to be ready to do what could be necessary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who wonder for Hongjoong's fighting skills I insipired myself a lot of Black Widow's from the MCU, and the fight in the corridor is similar to the first fight we see of her in Iron Man 2, at the end of the movie. While I tried to keep Harley Quinn's fighting skills for Yeosang, I really wanted something like this but different for Hongjoong, and decided to use Black Widow as a reference.  
> I apologise if my Korean translation was a bad one :/ I accept constructive criticism about it.  
> Anyway ! Have a good day and take care of yourselves in this rough times !


	9. Episode 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, here I am with a new chapter and a warning : you're going to hate me, I know you do, BUT don't hate me too much ... I'll fix it I promise. Anyway like I said some of you had made requests of things you wanted to see more, for the Seonghwa/Mingi interaction you'll only have to wait until next chapter to see them ! For Wooyoung (the person will know what I'm refering to, I don't really know how to name this sorry) I'm so sorry but you'll have to wait a little more ! Like chapter 10 that I'm currently writing !
> 
> Hope you'll like it,
> 
> Enjoy !

Hongjoong had way too much advance on them.

They didn't feel it until San had to land their chopper while the Colonel was already running to the top of the Hallasan. The volcano had turned worst, and Wooyoung was in pain, everything natural being burned down by trails of lava, more numerous by the minute, but fortunately still not enough to stop or kill them.

Hongjoong was way ahead of them when they could finally get out of the chopper, and it seemed that Halmang was not ready to let them ruin her plans like they had done before, and now they could feel the ground shaking under their feet but not like an earthquake.

“ _He_ 's awakening, I can feel it, the tomb will soon break and _He_ 'll be free,” said Wooyoung in horror after his feet touched the ground.

“One more reason to hurry the fuck up,” cheered Yeosang.

Seonghwa hadn't wait for them and had already started to run, getting frustrated by himself for not being able to catch up with Hongjoong. The younger was running fast yes, but Seonghwa was not one to run slow. Closing his eyes he let Killer Frost get the control and was soon running faster. A roar escaped him when he could almost reached for the smaller male, calling his name, fiercely at first, but more desperately by the second.

Considering how his body was working he wasn't made for long run like this, and soon had to stop cursing as he panted. Decided, he shot a hand up and immediately, a long trail of ice covered the ground, slithering under Hongjoong's feet and making him stumble for a while, before his damn military training came back and he rolled on the side to dodge Seonghwa's attack, landing on his feet and turning his cold purple eyes to him.

“Hongjoong you have to stop ! This is not what you want ! You fought for this, barely a few hours ago ! You can't run to them and ruin all our efforts ! All _yours_!”

His face had been hidden so he couldn't see it before, but Hongjoong was actually struggling with himself. Yeosang understood it too in the way the Colonel was shaking, fists tight, eyes unfocused and body stiff. Hongjoong was at war with himself, which meant he wasn't entirely gone, but didn't know how to break the surface of his mind.

“Hongjoong snap out of it !” yelled Yeosang, pushing Seonghwa aside and going straight for the best therapy in his opinion : getting in a fight.

As he punched Hongjoong right in the jaw he could feel cold surrounding him right before a heat wave stopped everything.

“Yeosang stop !” asked Seonghwa.

“I'm the Doctor here Park, let me do by job,” the blond was in a fighting position, and even if he was perfectly aware that his fighting skills were not as good as Hongjoong's, he knew for a fact and from experience that he could still make them gain time for San to recover some strenght and come beat Hongjoong's ass ; he'd be the only one who could.

The Colonel had decided he wouldn't run away and Yeosang didn't know if he was glad or not about that. He chose to not answer his personal questions and dodged Hongjoong's right hook.

He turned on his hands and rolled behind Hongjoong's back, kicking him in the middle of the back and making him stumbled forward but not fall, as he was able to roll again and go back on his feet. He was still cold looking and eyes unfocused, but Yeosang seemed to have awaken something in him. Perhaps something good, perhaps something bad.

Blocking a kick turned out to be rather hard in the blond's opinion, especially when he was left with a very high pain in his forearms. He grunted and almost stumbled, Hongjoong not letting him rest and immediately going for a back kick right after. Yeosang saw it coming and dodge, falling on his knees and supporting himself with his palms, he extended a leg and swept it right on Hongjoong's support leg, sending the Colonel on his back with a little thump. Hongjoong huffed and closed his eyes just long enough to take a deep breath, before making a move and going back on his feet from his position on the ground.

Yeosang could see Mingi holding Seonghwa from behind the smaller man while Jongho seemed really observing and confused as to how to act. Wooyoung saw the opportunity Yeosang had given and stepped into the fight from afar, palms dug in the ground, plants shooting from it a second later and wrapping around Hongjoong's legs.

The man lowered his head and started to work with his hands to rip the plants off his feet, mostly failing as the plants were thick and solid, but he still managed to tear a few apart, Wooyoung sweating and clenching his teeth to keep his yelp of pain contained.

Upon seeing this Yeosang knew it was his time to shine again and called Hongjoong's attention on him.

The Colonel did not expect the kick on the stomach that made him kneel, neither did Yeosang expected Hongjoong to catch his leg as he tried to kick him in the head, only to use an inhuman strength and stand up, ripping all the plants from his limbs and making Wooyoung scream in pain, still holding Yeosang's leg, and used it to throw the younger boy on the side like a rag doll. The blond was shocked to see how easy it had been for Hongjoong to lift him, as if he weighted nothing, and the landing was very painful considering how he landed on his wrist and felt a shooting pain immediately.

“Yeosang !”

“Fuck no- Seonghwa come back it's too dangerous !”

Chaos had broken free after Yeosang had been thrown away, everyone worried about the later, Mingi had lost his grip on Seonghwa and the oldest was running to a confused Hongjoong. Yeosang's hit had done what they were supposed to and helped the Colonel bring himself back together, but for how long ?

Seonghwa touched his shoulder but Hongjoong slapped it away, eyes widened turning to the platinum-haired with fear in his eyes.

“Help ... me,” his voice was damaged, as if something had been choking him before he tried to speak, and the hand that had slapped Seonghwa's hand was now reaching for it, but the ice prince was too stunned to react fast, and soon the moment was gone, replaced by the purple light of Halmang and the fierceness of the soldier taking over the man.

Hongjoong threw a first hook that Seonghwa almost didn't dodge, then others, and the later found himself forced to step back, trying to not hurt the man back, and unconsciously bringing him to San. Seonghwa only had the time to hear :

“Enchantress.”

Before two black hands were wrapped around Hongjoong's throat and he disappeared in a puff of black smoke only to appear a few meters away. Seonghwa was panting and one of his forearm's glove had been ripped by Hongjoong's strong punches.

“Seonghwa ! You're okay ?!” worried Yunho.

“No I'm not !”

Jongho had ran to Yeosang and taken him back to the others, Mingi warming him up with his hands on his shoulder.

“How is your wrist ?” asked the red-haired.

“It doesn't feel like it's broken but I think it's sprained.”

“Shit,” cursed Jongho.

“It doesn't mean I can't fight,” replied Yeosang.

“How can you ?!”

“I still have legs !”

“Yeosang no, you can't fight like this,” Jongho was adamant that he was done for the day but Yeosang was not ready to feel useless for the rest of the night ! “ _I_ won't let you fight like this,” but then these words made him remember that even if he hated feeling useless, someone had decided he'd feel this way if he stopped fighting even when injured. It would probably take time but slowly Jongho was pushing the Joker away from Yeosang, and the blond's eyes widened when he understood.

“I understand. I won't. But I'll still help as best as I can,” he was decided, and Jongho had a slight smile for him before he kissed his forehead and ran to San and Hongjoong fighting.

Yunho, Mingi and Seonghwa all looked at Yeosang with different faces, the first one with a smirk, the second one with a raised brow, and the last one with a knowing glance. The blond felt his cheeks heat up and blushed deeply, turning to not see their faces and grumbled :

“Shut up.”

Mingi giggled but a high sound brought them back to the main problem.

Hongjoong had managed to kick San away but Jongho was here in support and into the fight as well. They both had very different combat skills. Hongjoong was a trained soldier but he was less rough and raw than Jongho, more flexible but not as much as Yeosang.

They kept hitting and dodging or blocking, Jongho's thickness being a real advantage as Hongjoong kept trying to unbalance him by slithering all over him in vain.

The Colonel jumped and kneeled in a cat-like position, taking deep breaths and analyzing Jongho. He pounced on him full force, right knee hitting him right in the chest but Jongho barely shifted, only grunting as he took the hit. Hongjoong did a back kick right after but the youngest caught his leg and grabbed on his thigh, the other one grabbing the man's arm, only to sweep him off his feet. Unfortunately Hongjoong made the most out of this situation and actually let his leg bend and made them fall, quickly rolling over to turn the situation back to his advantage, wrapping his other leg under Jongho's arm, catching his head and shoulder in a death grip and started to squeeze. The Black Dragon gasped and punched the Colonel's legs but his salvation came when San used his powers, moving his fingers like if he didn't have bones, manipulating Hongjoong's body off of Jongho.

The others could only watch in distress how the fight was going around, worried to see how little restrain the three opponents had. They knew the best way to try and get Hongjoong back was to knock him out so Enchantress could find a way to remove his mark, but that still meant beating the Colonel up, and they weren't comfortable with that idea.

San made sure Hongjoong wouldn't be hurt when he pushed him away, leaving the possibility to the man to roll backwards and stand back on his feet. But the Enchantress could only be present for a few minutes now, and the younger had to go full on his own combat skills, showing everyone his taekwondo's years of training. He gave the impression he'd hit Hongjoong but at the last moment, swung his hips differently and modified the trajectory of his leg, once more sweeping the smaller man. But Hongjoong had seen it coming and jumped to dodge, using San's momentum to try and punch him in the face, hitting continuously.

Jongho was getting up slowly after coughing a few times and getting his breathing back correctly, and San felt him in his back, finally stopping the blocking to counter-attack by pushing Hongjoong's next hit, using his luck and kicking his legs twice straight forward, almost looking like he flee with how he stayed off ground for a while. Hongjoong's forearms were red after blocking those and he punched San with a hand flat on his chest, right on the sternum, punching the breath out of his lungs.

“San !” Wooyoung threw his hand forwards and vines followed, wrapping around the older's shaking body and yanking him closer to him and Mingi.

San was not hurt per say, but it was always painful and the feeling of losing your breath after being hit right in the middle of the chest was one of the most unpleasant.

Jongho took over and was once more on a 1v1 against Hongjoong. Yeosang watched the fight with worry and concern. He knew better what the younger's life had been, and he understood that if San had been pulling his punches because Hongjoong was his mentor, Jongho wouldn't. He knew the youngest wouldn't try to kill the navy-haired either, but they could still end up pretty bad. Hongjoong already had several bruises and a cut on his brow, Jongho not better with blood running from his forearms.

The soldier moved his neck and made it crack, Jongho did the same with his knuckles, and the fight was back on.

Hongjoong started by middle kicks that were easily blocked, then a back kick that Jongho dodged by lowering himself, standing up and throwing an arm to punch the smaller, whom dodge it the same way too. The youngest then tried to give a quick jab with the right to Hongjoong but the soldier moved and took Jongho's arm, twisting it and passing under so he was pushing on his shoulder with one hand while the other was tightly holding Jongho's limb.

The soldier might have been physically strong, he was unfortunately for him not as strong as the younger, whose arm was shaking with the power he was using to straighten himself back up. Upon seeing this Hongjoong's eyes widened but he didn't show panic, and using Jongho's own body as leverage he threw his legs around his neck from the front again, forcing the other to bend, and pushed to finish him by knocking his head on the ground and rolling away, admiring his work.

“Jongho !”

It was the first time Yeosang used Black Dragon's real name in front of everyone, but it only showed how much he cared and was worried right now, if the crack in his voice when he called the man was anything to go by. Jongho had been hit twice on the head, and if the first time was harmless, the second time might not.

The black-haired was stunned, and he blinked a few times to make the black spots in front of his eyes disappear, shaking his head a little then pushing himself on his palms and knees, grunting with pain.

Hongjoong was right in front of him, standing back up and slowly walking to him, probably to make sure he wouldn't rise again, and Jongho only saw one solution : he used a lighter version of his Dragon Cry, the Colonel being hit by it full force and trying to protect his ears in vain. He was too close, and Jongho was using to much power to focus the diameter of the attack focused on Hongjoong as much as he could.

The later was slowly drifting to unconsciousness but the Goddess had his back.

“ **I won't let it happen again ! This one is way much more important than the later, and** _ **he**_ **will be His vessel !** ”

The ground that was already shaking stopped, and as weird as it seemed they all lost their balance as their had gotten used to the new ground. An explosion surprised them all, especially as it was controlled and happened only around Hongjoong, sending San and Jongho away. Wooyoung and Yeosang were on their feet in an instant, followed closely by the three others.

“Why him ?! You won't have him ! We won't let you !” the fact that Seonghwa was referring as a team and not just himself was a huge step forward, unfortunately not one none of them had the time to enjoy.

“ **He is perfect for Koenegitto, his body was made for a God** ”

They all froze in understanding about what is was that Halmang had been after all this time. She was not just looking for a sacrificial ewe, if She could, She'd hit two birds with one stone and get a human vessel for the God. But why ?!

“No,” breathed out San, back to himself.

“Why would you use him as a vessel ?! You don't need one ! Why would the God of War do ?!”

“ **There isn't one God who** _ **needs**_ **a vessel ! We never** _ **need**_ **one, but our powers are so much more efficient and destructive when we have one ! Kim Hongjoong is strong enough for War, he's a soldier, he was** _ **made**_ **for it !** ”

“Do you even care about what _he_ wants ?!” bit back Seonghwa.

“ **No**.”

It was enough to trigger Killer Frost. Hongjoong was being taken away by zombies whom had popped out of the ground after the explosion, but they all got covered when a frost wave erupted from the oldest's body.

Mingi reacted quickly and stepped in front of the others, fighting Seonghwa's cold with his heat, warming up as much as he could without taking fire.

Hongjoong's eyes fluttered open and once more, for a while, he seemed himself. Shivering at the temperature and confused by his surroundings, but weirdly looking extremely relieved when seeing Killer Frost. Maybe it was the gentle smile even Seonghwa's counter part shot him, maybe it was the fondness and comfort in his eyes, Hongjoong didn't know. But he was _happy_ to see the man walk to him, despite the evident frost under his fingertips and puff of smoke coming out of his mouth every time he breathed out.

On his knees Hongjoong pushed himself up and was soon standing in front of Seonghwa, Killer Frost's job done, and both men grabbed each other's hand. Hongjoong was crying silently, small tears gathering in his eyes and leaving clear trails on his frozen cheeks.

“I'm sorry Seonghwa.”

“Don't apologize, you couldn't know.”

“I didn't understand, I thought it was nothing, but ... I started to feel weird when we reached the hotel.”

Seonghwa's eyes widened, understand the _heating moment_ had been a consequence of the marking. His already slow heart missed a few beats, face dropping and fear slithering in his veins. Was Hongjoong even himself when they had sex ? Had he abused the younger's trust ?! What had happened ?!

“I think it started to act at this moment, but I swear, everything that happened, happened because I wanted it. I was there, my mind was clear, I wanted what we did. It felt like being drunk and having this feeling of inhibition that makes you 'braver',” a short laugh. “I just got braver to tell you what I wanted from you but I swear, I only lost control after we fell asleep.”

Seonghwa couldn't believe how relief he felt. His whole body got warmer, his heart beat faster, and a lonely tear fell on his cheek. It was such small details, such small talks, but it felt so important. Comfort. That he had not opened his heart to someone who'd play him. That he had not hurt someone who wanted to open his heart to him and risking to become a jerk.

“But Seonghwa, I'm so sorry” he snapped his head to Hongjoong and immediately, worry filled his veins again. Purple was fighting its way in Hongjoong's brow irises, the tears falling from his eyes were changing to blood, and his hands were shaking.

“Hongjoong, no no no, Hongjoong come on, hey what's going on, what's happening ?!”

“I can't fight it. I'm trying, I swear, but I can't, it's too powerful and I just can't,” he ripped his hands off Seonghwa's and took a few steps back, motioning him to stay away. “I don't know how long I can still fight Her off but I know it won't be long, and I wanted you to know ...”

“No wait, San found something remember ?” it ached to say it, it ached so damn much, “We can figure it out Hongjoong.”

“No Seonghwa please don't, you have to go, She'll hurt you, He'll hurt you, you can't fight this, please don't die trying, I will never forgive myself-”

“We won't let you die for this !”

They turned to see Mingi standing tall and proud, fingers playing with the flames in his palms.

“There's nothing you can do,” Hongjoong was keeping his tone quiet and low, probably to keep as much control as he could over Halmang. “Seonghwa please listen to me, I wanted you to know that-”

He bent in half, a scream slapping the air around them and making them flinch, Hongjoong's hand slapped on his head. He fell on his knees and Seonghwa tried to reach for him again but what felt like an invisible wall stopped him, and the same invisible force pulled Hongjoong closer to the Hallasan. They were so close the smoke started to be dangerous for them, Wooyoung the most sensible one already coughing a lot.

“The hell is happening !” Yunho had came to help Seonghwa but he too had been stopped by a sort of wall.

“ **I already told you,** **I'm not letting this happen.** ”

Halmang was walking towards them from afar, human size, one hand in front of Her clearly stopping Seonghwa and Yuhno, the other one fist closed tight in Hongjoong's direction.

“ **He's coming with me**.”

“Yunho ! Seonghwa !” Mingi's terrified scream was the warning call for what followed.

The ground underneath their feet cracked, and they felt a high pressure on top of their head, gravity working as hard as it could to get rid of them, and soon they were surrounded by darkness, Yunho's and Seonghwa's eyes closing as their head hit the rocks deep in the rift opened by the Goddess.

The others were safe for now, but as Halmang didn't see them move, only shocked and stunned to see two of them disappear in the ground so easily, She didn't try to kill them and only took laid a hand on Hongjoong's head, the boy's screams ceasing in a second, eyes completely purple, bloody tears dried on his cheeks.

“No,” Mingi was protesting but San caught him by the wrist, not caring to feel the flames burn his skin, clenching his teeth and swallowing the tears of pain.

“If you do that we'll all get killed and we won't be able to help Hongjoong,” whispered the man.

“Oh God San stop !” Wooyoung ripped San's hand off Mingi's wrist but fortunately the red-haired had stopped his fire as soon as he felt the other's grip. The younger took the burned hand and let his own produce Aloe Vera to heal it.

“What do we do now ?!” asked Yeosang in a hurry, eyes not leaving the figure of the Goddess.

“We need to make sure Seongwa and Yunho are alright,” hurried the red-haired, moving closer to the rift.

“We also need to stop this madness,” said Wooyoung once San was healed.

“How ?! You see what She did to Seonghwa ?! He's the strongest of us !” replied his best friend, panicked.

“Jongho ! I need help !”

Mingi had localized the two missing and fortunately they looked alive even if knocked out and perhaps in danger considering the blood on the back of their heads. They were covered in dust and their clothes were slightly ripped where the rocks had hit them, Yunho's lower lip cut and Seonghwa's left leg ...

“Oh no, it's broken,” said Jongho, whom was gently moving the eldest to make sure he wouldn't hurt him.

“You sure ?” asked Mingi, Yunho on his back.

“Positive. The ankle isn't twisted but given what I feel I'm 99.99% sure.”

“Shit.”

Wooyoung grew vines to use as rope for Mingi and Jongho to go down to the boys and bring them back up, and once the seven of them were reunited, the injured laying flat on their backs, they went back to their plan.

“I'm not saying Yunho is useless without his guns but ...,” started Yeosang.

Mingi flashed him a dark look but couldn't deny. Yunho was just not good enough at close combat to help them, and now he was knocked out.

“I can't do anything either ... She's too strong and She controls the Island, She'd be able to send my plants back to me unless ...” started Wooyoung thoughtful.

“Unless ?” encouraged San.

“Unless I try creating a kind of my own, but I don't know if I can.”

“You can't if you don't try, it either changes nothing or it gives us more attack weight,” said Yeosang. Wooyoung nodded and closed his eyes before opening them again, everyone surprised to see they had turned entirely green, with no distinction between the iris and the pupil nor the rest of the eye.

“Wooyoung ?” called San with furrowed brows.

“He won't hear you. His mind is somewhere else now,” explained Yeosang. “He's fine though, don't worry. He'll be back to us in no time.”

“Alright next, San how are you ? You think Enchantress can help a little more ?” asked Jongho.

“I'm not sure ... I refueled but it's not enough for a full possession from Her. My body won't take it much longer but I can push.”

“San, the goal is not to have you dead in the end,” said Yeosang with a set voice, mind to Wooyoung. “And he wouldn't let you do that either, so don't even think about it,” he added, pointing at the lilac-haired. “When you feel like you can't, you say it, and we'll take it from there.”

San could only nod too. It was not the time to play hero and be capricious.

“Jongho, what can you do ?”

“She knows my power is the greatest threat to Her, so She'll probably aim to me first. I'll have to stay a little further from you to grab Her attention, but She won't let us attack the same way twice.”

“I'm aware, but what else can we do ? We're less numerous than last time, and none of us have shooting forces !” sighed Yeosang.

“Not that it would be of any use with a Goddess,” reminded Jongho.

“What we need is a God ! Or a Goddess ! To fight fire with fire !”

Mingi lit up at the blond's words, knowing he had just taken the worst and best decision of his life.

“If that's all we need,” he said.

“Right,” joked Yeosang. “Because it's that easy !”

Taking his jacket off, Mingi also tore his shirt apart, and San gasped when the mark on the other's chest was revealed to all.

“That's- your- Mingi why didn't you say anything sooner ?!”

“How could I ? I was afraid of using the little bit of power that I have access too, so letting it all go in one shot ... it's terrifying San ...”

“I understand ...”

“What is it ? What's this mark what does it mean ?!”

“My nickname is the streets was Agma, back when I was in my gang.”

Jongho furrowed his brows.

“Yeah I red it in your file. Means _Devil_.”

“It does. The thing is ... it's not just a nickname.”

They all stared at him, Yeosang's nerves deciding it was the good time to laugh with his little _hehet._

“You're kidding right ?”

“No.”

“You're the motherfucking Devil ?”

“Yes and no, it works the same way it does with San and Enchantress ... sort of ...”

“You're the Devil's vessel,” helped San to explain. “That's from Him that you gain your powers. That's why you were scared of them. Because if you lose control, He comes, and He doesn't react the way you do.”

Mingi nodded.

“He's the Devil. It's enough to say how powerful He is, and even if it's not a God, I'm sure it can make you gain enough time to help Hongjoong.”

“It would very much,” said Yeosang, “But the goal is not to use one as a sacrifice in order to get the other.”

“I'll be fine,” assured Mingi, but all knew he lied.

“Mingi-”

“I lost one family because of this,” cut the red-haired, turning to Wooyoung. “I'm not losing what could be my next one if I can stop it. And if I go to far,” he turned to look at an unconscious Seonghwa, “I have the feeling he'll cool me down.”

He didn't wait for any other answer and started running after Halmang and Hongjoong. Jongho screamed his name but Mingi completely ignored him, ignored all of them, body taking fire and lightening in the dark night like a torch.

“Who's in charge of telling Yunho we lost his boyfriend ?” dropped Yeosang.

All turned to him except Wooyoung - whom was back - who just face-palmed.

“What ?”

“Not funny Cupcake,” said his best friend.

“You're out of humor.”

“It's not really the time for humor !” said San as they two got on the move, Wooyoung carrying Seonghwa's and Yunho's body with his plants.

“It's time for everything ! Just because we're about to die means we have to be boring ?! That'll kill us first !”

“Yeosang, not _now_!” asked Jongho, taking the lead and even moving on the side a little to surprise Halmang.

Mingi had already reached her and of course, didn't even try to be subtle :

“Hey Bitch !”

The Goddess only had the time to turn around before She was punched in the face and sent flying a little further away, Hongjoong's body dropping like dead weight. A cloud of dust and ashes surrounded the crashing zone where Halmang landed, and they could all see with the Hallasan's fire that She had gone in angry mode and was now very tall, Her hair were floating around Her, Her eyes lightened with a purple light, and Her whole body covered in Korean signs, clothes looking way much more ancient than they had until now. She had leveled up, but still looked surprise by Mingi's new appearance.

“ **That's it you pissed me off, I'm done with you and your little games** ”

“Great, I'm done playing too,” whispered Mingi before closing his eyes and roaring, everyone's eyes widening with how close to a lion he sounded.

His whole firing body exploded in a heat wave, similar to Killer Frost's ones, and his body started to convulse, curling on itself only to extend taller and larger. As tall as Halmang now, Mingi was looking very different : his skin was red ans his hair had turned jet black, eyes literally letting out little flames just like the tips of his fingers and actually his entire body. He was dressed very lightly, also in traditional Korean clothes, and was shocked them all was how they couldn't recognized Mingi at all in the Devil's features right now.

Agma was well and truly there. And it was terrifying.

The wave of heat was almost as strong as the Hallasan's, and Hongjoong was slowly waking up from his hypnotized state, but it didn't mean he was back to himself as his purple eyes showed. San felt shit would go down rather violently and he called Enchantress one last time, making a sea of black smoke appear all around them, then he raised his arms and let them fall.

They all gasped at the smoke invading their eyes, lungs, bodies, and when they could see clear again they had moved.

They felt a bit tipsy and dizzy, even the Goddess appeared a little stunned with this spell, and when they could look around them they realized they were in a sort of cave. They understood San had gotten them in Manjanggul Cave, so at one side of the Island, very far from the Hallasan and the previous fighting area. It might not have been the smartest move considering a Goddess and a Devil that were almost as tall as the cave were about to fight and maybe destroy what was above them, but it seemed like San counted on that. But that was not only it. He had felt something else, an energy coming from this cave. He started looking for it and couldn't help that his breath was taken away by the place.

It was beautiful. Despite the late hours and the current situation, the lights for the tourists were still one and lightened the cave with shades of all the colors in a beautiful assembly of rainbows, pastels, and neons. Ironically though, the purple was the dominating color, and it only made Halmang even more threatening, Mingi's fiery red and orange pale compared to the vibrant color.

But not for long.

The Devil immediately started the fight, punching Her in the jaw to make Her stumble back then kicking Her in the stomach. He then raised his hands and all thought they were prepared for the fire he'd use but they weren't : it was so much hotter and wilder, dangerous strings falling all around him and the flames dancing blue and purple around his fingers with how hot they were.

The heat was making Seonghwa wake up, his body understanding the incoming danger for him. Wooyoung was there to help him stand in a sitting position when he finally opened his eyes.

“The fuck his happening now ? Where are we ?” grunted the platinum-haired.

“You and Yunho got knocked out by Halmang, careful, your ankle is broken ! San used Enchantress and moved us to below the Island,” answered Wooyoung.

“Manjaggul Cave ?” he whistled between his teeth when he froze the skin around his ankle to try and make a sort of cast of fortune.

“Possibly, I don't know this Island well.”

They turned when they heard a scream, seeing how Mingi was pinned to the wall with Halmang choking him. It didn't stay that way long though, as the Devil used his powers again and started burning the Goddess. It seemed like it hurt Her yet Her skin was flawless and She wasn't catching fire, so they didn't know if it was really effective or not.

“He won't be able to keep up like this long,” said Seonghwa, and he was right. All of them were exhausted, they barely had proper rest, and the use of so much power in one shot was unusual and dangerous for the younger boy.

“We have no other way for now-”

“San ! Catch him before he reach that fucking tablet !”

They were once more disturbed but this time it was more pressing : San had made a huge mistake taking them down there, and he had made them appear right were Koenegitto's tomb was, and now Hongjoong was running towards it. Yeosang and San were both after his ass but it would be too late, and Wooyoung panicked.

“I can't use my powers here there's nothing living !”

Seonghwa once more turned the whole ground in an ice rink and Yeosang used it to slide over Hongjoong, Jongho using his power very lightly to fasten his move. The blond reached the Colonel and with his leg, hit right behind one of Hongjoong's knee, making the boy fall painfully on the ice. The loud noise that resonated was probably something broken and the scream of agony that followed only confirmed that hypothesis.

“I'm sorry but you're leaving me no fucking choice here leader !”

San and Seonghwa had clenched their fists at Hongjoong's breaking bone sound, but the time wasn't at regrets, they had to stop him.

Mingi was hand to hand with Halmang, pushing each other to gain more territory and show the other who was stronger, but they weren't paying attention one bit to where they were going and Jongho and San had to run out of the way to dodge them.

Yeosang saw them to late but still managed to jump on the side after taking Hongjoong with him, the later still full on soldier mode and not minding the rescue of his life, punched Yeosang in the stomach. It was difficult to fight on the floor but he still found a way to roll over the blond and start choking him too, Mingi being kicked by Halamang in the background.

“We have to do something !” yelled Seonghwa.

“And what do you want to do ?! It's so hot you can't use your powers here !”

“I can and I have to ! Help me up !”

San had stood up and ran to Hongjoong as soon as he could, seeing how he was keeping Yeosang down and helping the blond by wrapping an arm harmlessly around Hongjoong's neck to pull him off.

“Stop ! Come back to us Hongjoong ! Snap out of it ! Fight it ! I know you can !”

But blood was already dripping from his nose and bloody tears ran down his face, the Colonel had already given up because the enemy was too strong, and the last thing he wanted was to hurt them. San switched with Enchantress and the witch tried to help Hongjoong, one hand on his head, both of their skin and eyes glowing green, searching in the boy's mind where he was, how he could help him pull out.

Halmang felt this intrusion, and while She was fighting Mingi off of Her by blocking his fire with Her body, She also fought San off.

The poor boy jolted away from Hongjoong as if he got burned, hands grabbing his head on each side while screams of agony teared his throat apart, his eyes still green despite the departing of Enchantress. Halmang had done something to him, was doing something to him, digging in his mind the same way he had done with Hongjoong but leaving a painful trail of violence and destruction behind her.

“San !” called Jongho, catching the falling and screaming body of the older, not able to focus on Hongjoong anymore, and so letting him slip between his fingers.

Yeosang had lost enough oxygen to faint and so it was only up to Wooyoung and Seonghwa to do something, anything, but they were still too far, the lilac-haired's forearms and legs bloody : to help Seonghwa stand up and walk, to immobilize his ankle at least a little, he had wanted to grow vines and wrap them tight, but nothing was growing in this cave. He couldn't grow anything ! So despite Seonghwa's refusal and beggings he had ripped his own plants off his body and had knot them as best as he could.

But they were too slow, too far, Hongjoong was already up and close to the tablet and they could feel the whole Island shaking everywhere around them, beneath their feet, above their head, around their body, they felt it come to life as Halmang was growing more powerful and beating Mingi up, his Devil capability not enough anymore. The Goddess threw him at the other side of the cave, walking to him with all the pride and power of someone Her rank, but Mingi was not going to let Her impress him.

“Jongho ! Back up !” he screamed to the raven-haired, the youngest torn between his two friends. He couldn't do shit for San's state but he couldn't let him agonize on the floor like this ! On the other hand, they were in the middle of a crisis, and if he didn't help defeat the Goddess, getting Hongjoong back would be impossible and useless. He made sure San was as comfortable on the floor as he could with his body shaking and twisting and ran to Mingi.

Left alone but in safety, Yunho was waking up too, the last of them unconscious before Yeosang was taken down, and the first thing he could see was light. Not the artificial purple one coming from the cave's light, or the blinding one coming from Halmang. No, what he saw was a fire. Red, orange, yellow, white. Blue, purple, hot and steamy, untamed and wild. He saw Mingi's power in all its glory.

“Mingi !” called Seonghwa with a strong voice.

The called one saw the problem as the oldest tried to conjure ice but couldn't because of the heat, and so he changed his tactics. He wouldn't use pure fire but only heat, making it low enough so Seonghwa could absorb it. Thinking about it, they could balance each other's powers perfectly, but didn't have many occasions to test it yet.

The red-haired fell with a knee on the ground facing the standing Goddess, his palms slapped on Her chest, hands burning hot to melt her skin and bones, her yelps and grunts and yells a proof that it was working. Jongho had came right behind Her and as soon as Mingi spotted him, he called :

“Jongho now ! Full power !”

Yunho knew, even before he understood he knew that he had to cover his ears and so he did, a blast of ultrasound exploding more powerful and high than ever, hitting Halmang in the back like a brick wall and punching the air out of her lungs, if possible. She gasped, blinking fast, clearly overwhelmed by the lava in her chest and deafening sound all around her, not knowing how to fight back anymore.

Somehow the rest of them weren't as touched by Jongho's power as it seemed possible, and even if they normally should have as they _were_ in a cave, the whole place reeked of magic and power, and it wouldn't be surprising if the meta-humans' powers seemed more controlled and held back in this place, to their advantage.

He turned around right when Hongjoong's fingers were reaching the tablet of Koenegitto, and watched in horror as the smaller man's body was taken by jolts, eyes glowing purple as well as the mark between his shoulder blades, veins more and more visible under his pale skin. His body had gone stiff, and his heartbeat that they could all hear for a second, slowed down from fast to none very quickly. A sort of blue wave coming from the tablet started investing his body and that's when Yunho saw it.

The pain on Seonghwa's face, standing right behind the smaller man. He couldn't hear it with Jongho's power, Mingi's fire, and the giant mess around them, but he saw clearly the bluish frozen lips of the eldest opening to let out a horrified _no_ , eyes widened and terrified. Wooyoung too was looking at the scene in shock, mouth and eyes open, legs shaking and threatening to give up under his and Seonghwa's weight.

_Freezing his heart until his whole body is frozen_

Yunho could see Wooyoung turning to Seonghwa and try to snap him out of his shock state, he could see him talk and shake the boy, now both of them fallen on their knees, but the platinum-haired wasn't there anymore. His whole mind and heart were turned to Hongjoong, he could only see their failure.

And Wooyoung ... Wooyoung was desperately trying to get him to move. He could hear San's screams of pain fading, sign that he was growing weaker and that whatever the Goddess was doing on him was slowly winning over his will, and they had to do something but Jongho couldn't use his power forever, he needed to breath and Mingi was getting less hot by the second, flames retracting onto themselves until nothing was left and the Devil went away to let the human boy back again.

They were losing, but they hadn't lost yet. If Koenegitto was freed and took Hongjoong's body, then they would lose. But He hadn't yet and there was still a way to fix things but he needed Seonghwa to fucking move and-

“For fuck's sake Seonghwa ! I need you here !” he turned the oldest to him and slapped him. Hard. Seonghwa's head turned 90°.

Wooyoung was shocked by his gesture, even if violence was a part of his everyday life slapping someone like that felt ... different. Especially when that someone turned his head back at him eyes full white and hair silver, looking pissed and angry. “Oh shit Killer Frost, I'm sorry I-”

“Shut it. I'm not angry at you but at him, now is not the time to panic,” Wooyoung felt a sudden coldness near his knee and he looked down to see Seonghwa's broken ankle entirely frozen, worrying when Killer Frost stood up.

He wanted to say something but couldn't, and instead watched like a lost soul the eldest walking towards Hongjoong with a light limp, but determination in his movements. His right hand was open and ice gathered in it, extending to form a spear he closed his fingers around, and Wooyoung understood. Killer Frost was as much a part of Seonghwa as Seonghwa was a part of Killer Frost. When one couldn't be there, the other was. Seonghwa was just more present because Killer Frost had been the one to come live in his body, but they shared everything. Which meant Killer Frost's shaking hand was saying everything Wooyoung needed to know : it needed to be done, but neither Frost nor Seonghwa wanted to do it. Frost was just stronger. And colder.

Yunho knew it was the only way, he knew it deep in his bones when he saw how fucked they were. Yet, when he saw Seonghwa took position with his ice spear behind Hongjoong, he couldn't help the scream that passed his lips.

His voice cracked at the same moment Seonghwa stabbed Hongjoong, the ice entirely red after it had came out of the Colonel's torso, right in the middle of his chest and between his shoulder blades.

Two things happened : Hongjoong's body started shaking again, and he ripped his hands off the tablet, and Killer Frost left, leaving Seonghwa to face the consequences of their actions, the later falling on his knees right behind the other.

It was a beautiful, yet morbid painting. Hongjoong's body was slowly turning paler, not only because of death but also because of the cold emanating from the spear that was taking a hold of his body, dressed in black and covered in a deep blood red, and Seonghwa behind him, all in white and dark blue, still holding the spear with a trembling hand, tears falling soundlessly from his cheeks. Blond locks fell in front of his face, hiding it from the public's eyes, head low, body shaking with his sobs, while Hongjoong made sure that his head fell backwards, his nape meeting Seonghwa's forehead, navy-locks a stain on the immaculate white, like blood in the snow.

Wooyoung's hand was in front of his open mouth, as if he had tried to hold back a soundless scream, eyes blinking but tears still escaping from them, San had stopped squirming on the floor but blood had been running down his ears, and he too had fainted alongside Yeosang. Mingi was on his back, Halmang above him and Jongho panting with a knee on the ground behind Her, but the Goddess was turned only to Hongjoong, and Her face's expression was similar to all of theirs. Shocked. Horrified. Angry. But unlike them, she didn't show sadness, or regret. She wasn't showing pain. She was showing annoyance.

Yunho looked around, knowing that something precise had to be there without knowing what precisely, until his eyes landed on another tablet, a little hidden in the water of the cave. He couldn't read what was written on it, but he would bet his life this was Halmang's summoning table.

“ **Nooo ! What have you done ! You foolish humans !** ” Her cry was angry and high, nothing like the desperation and deep regret passing Seonghwa right now.

“Hey Hwa,” the platinum-haired's body went stiff, but he didn't dare move, listening with close eyes at Hongjoong's voice. “I'm sorry you had to be the one to do it. But thank you ... It was the only way ...”

“I wanted to believe it wasn't ...” his voice was barely above a whisper, only meant for his lover to hear.

He heard a light laugh in respond, followed by a cough and a spit of blood. Hongjoong shouldn't even be able to speak right now, but somehow the cold freezing his inside was slowing his death.

“I told you ... there is a heart beneath that thick layer of ice and snow ... See I wanted you to know ... _I love you_ -”

Those were his last words, as he finally closed his eyes and when Seonghwa let go of the spear, making it disappear in thousands of tiny crystals, Hongjoong's body fell entirely on his back, caught by the eldest's arms, whom brought the Colonel against his torso.

“No, no, no, Hongjoong please no I'm sorry, you can't- I didn't meant to- Hongjoong please, please no !”

The purple mark on his back faded after his last breath had, and the whole cave was left in the silence in which Seonghwa's cries were the only sounds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Same thing as last chapter, I inspired myself a lot of Black Widow for Hongjoong's fighting skill against Yeosang, but when he fights against Jongho and San, I inspired myself more with Black Panther's and Winter Soldier's fight scene at the beginning of 'Captain America : Civil War', you can find the references on youtube.


	10. Episode 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone ! I hope you won't hate me anymore ! This chapter contains the Seonghwa/Mingi interaction one of you wanted to see, I hope you'll be satisfied by it, the next chapter will be about Wooyoung's powers, but most importantly it will start the last arc of the fiction that will last only two chapters, the 10th and 11th ! You can see that I have 16 chapters for this fic, it's because I'm counting 4 epilogue chapters.
> 
> You will understand why but I apologise in advance for any bad scientific accuracy, I'm afraid this chapter and the 11th one will make some physicists and doctors cringe, if they are some among you.
> 
> Oh and also, University starts the 28th for me, and next week will be a lot of preparation so I might publish the rest of the story in the next days, wit one update every day to makre sure I can finish it before I start being busy again, be ready !
> 
> Hope you'll like it, enjoy !

They couldn't relax yet. They couldn't fix Hongjoong yet. Halmang was still there, and it was only a matter of second before she killed them all. Yunho understood it very clearly. So did the others. The ones conscious or focused at least. Which meant only him, Mingi and Jongho.

He didn't want to lose a chance to verify if his theory was the good one, so after a very long silence only disturbed by Seonghwa's sobs and breathings, he slowly stood up, eyes not leaving the Goddess' figure, and when he was sure She wasn't focused on him, he broke into a run.

That got everyone's attention on himself, and Halmang saw before anyone else what was his plan.

“ **I won't let you do that** ” her voice was back at being steady and controlled, unfortunately, which meant She was back into Her right mind.

But Wooyoung seemed to have had enough. If he couldn't call any plants to help him, then he'd use his body. He too had seen what Yunho had noticed, and from afar he could tell it was the solution at all their problems. Yet, they weren't out of trouble : all of them were weak to the point it was hard to stand on their feet, and their powers had gotten difficult to use. There was still one thing Wooyoung could do though.

“Jongho ! Make Her stop !”

“Why ?! Why are we even fighting for anymore ?!”

Yunho had reached the wall and was desperately trying to get the tablet off, in vain : it had been walled up.

“This is Her summoning tablet ! We have to destroy it !” he yelled, panting like crazy and fearing for his life as he knew now that no one was holding Halmang back.

Mingi was panting hard too, trying to catch his breath and body temperature dangerously low for someone like him.

“Jongho please,” he begged, “if you can use it one last time, it's our only shot,” the end was near, so close they could taste it on their tongue. It was only up to them to chose the right end, and turn it into their favor.

Jongho nodded and took deep breaths, and he ran in front of Yunho, right in front of him, to use his cry on the Godess. She was weakened too, unlike what She appeared, and immediately blood started falling from Her ears.

Wooyoung was yelping too, standing on his wobbling legs as best as he could, body already producing everything he needed to. He walked to the boys, unable to run, leaving smoking holes as footprints behind him, the tracks deeper the more his body was producing the sulfuric acid he'll use on the tablet.

Yunho saw him coming and reached a hand to him, taking it back immediately when he saw the liquid running down Wooyoung's body, colorless and odorless, but deadly.

Jongho hadn't been able to use his power for a long period this time, falling on his knees and almost hyperventilating with how much breath he had to use, coughing violently and falling on his knees. Yunho watched with wide eyes as Halmang shook Her head, ready to strike again, and he only had the time to push Jongho aside before Wooyoung was letting out splatters of the acid on the wall holding the tablet, screaming as he let out his last forces. Mingi too, standing up with a hand on the wall to support his body looked at the scene holding his breath, seeing how Halmang had stopped moving the second Her tablet melt under the acid. A violent shiver took Her body, and slowly, they saw Her shrink back to human form, horror written all over Her face. She tried to speak but Her voice got caught in Her throat, and Her body dissolved, a strong wing rising in the Cave, taking Her away bits by bits.

It was fascinating to see how gently and soundlessly She disappeared, given how much She had wrecked South Korea when summoned.

The four boys were left staring at each other in shock, not believing what had just happened, searching one another's face to make sure that yes, it was over. They had taken Her down. Wooyoung collapsed in the water, fortunately it was only a little pond and he had no risk of drowning, his body welcoming the fresh water with ecstasy. Yunho was still a little unsure about touching him so he didn't, but looked over him to make sure he was still alive.

“Mingi,” they turned to see Seonghwa, blue eyes completely red, pale skin dusted of pink on his nose and cheeks, pain in his heart as well as in his face.

The red-haired made his way to him and Hongjoong, dead in his arms, and he fell on his knees, all ears for the eldest.

“Help me- please help- he can still be saved.”

Mingi was stunned, and confused.

“How ? Seonghwa he's dead, there's nothing we can do. Neither of us can bring back someone to life.”

Seonghwa kept shaking his head and nodding at the same time, confusing Mingi even more. He settled Hongjoong's cold body on the floor, and the red-haired let the tears in his eyes fell when he saw that the ice had turned his honey skin a light blue, lips purple and eyelashes covered with a thin layer of snowflakes.

“Thermal shock,” said Seonghwa. “We can, you and I, with your heat and my cold, we can bring him back.”

“Seonghwa, nothing like this has been tested before,” said Yunho from behind them. “Thermal shock kill people, they don't bring them back.”

“We have to try !” yelled the platinum-haired, making them jump in surprise. “I beg you, please I can't lose him, Mingi please I-”

“Yes, of course hyung, of course. I'll help you, come on, get on this side and I'll get on the other but Seonghwa,” Mingi took the cold hands in his warm ones, calm eyes falling into stormy ones. “You're the scientist here. I didn't go to college, I know nothing about that, so please, I need you to calm down, breathe, because you'll have to guide me. I'm blind here.”

Seonghwa let the younger into his mind, the soothing words making their way into his disturbed heart, and he took a moment to close his eyes and take a deep breath. They were standing so close that Mingi could feel the cold breath of the other on his skin when he exhaled.

He was calmer when he opened his eyes, and his brows furrowed in focus. Mingi had no idea if they could do this, it was well known that fire and ice nullified each other, but this was about more than that. Their powers were more than that. And without meaning too, Seonghwa was teaching that to Mingi, whom had always seen his gifts as fire. It was much more than fire. It was warmth, heat, controlling, changing temperature, and he had been discovering all of this ever since they begun this Suicide Squad.

“His body has already cooled down, so you need to heat it up,” explained Seonghwa.

“How do I do that ?”

“Put your hand on his chest, and warm up. It had to reach his heart so make sure to not spread the heat to much, focus on one specific area.”

Mingi did as he was told and laid his hands flat on Hongjoong's chest, right where Seonghwa had pierced, not minding the cold blood tainting his fingers. He started to warm his palms up gently, seeing as it was working when the frozen blood under his skin could run down again, liquid and warm. It was amazing how much of himself Mingi was discovering. He took notice when Seonghwa spoke to him again.

“Do you feel the veins ? The skin ? The muscles ? Do you feel all of it ? Can you feel your warmth going into each tissue, each fiber, bringing them back to life ?”

Mingi furrowed his brows and kept his eyes shut, indeed feeling all of what described the older.

“I do, it's- it's amazing ... how- ?”

“Spreading cold is harder than spreading heat. You never looked into the depth of your power, only using the easy solution which was to burn everything. Ice can spread as fast as fire if needed and well controlled, but if it's not manipulated the way it should, it will be less powerful. Ice needs to invest every tiny little space it can in order to be as destructive as possible. Fire can make their way into anything with destruction.”

Mingi understood. Seonghwa had so much more control over his power because he had probably spent hours training it, understanding every aspect of it, and because controlling it asked him much more concentration. Now the red-haired concentrated more that he had ever done before for his ability, and he could see that his strength was ten times what he thought it was.

“The control brings the power Mingi. Control your ability, let it speak to you, tell you how to use it.”

Seonghwa had always moved his ice and snow like a second part of his arms and body. The ice belonged to him, it came out of him. Mingi didn't have as much elegance and grace, yet he knew it was not a question of power, but of using. Not the best reference but he had seen _Avatar : the Last Air-bender._ The Fire-benders moved just like the other benders, with elegance in their movements and control in their eyes. They didn't start a fire every time they bent.

He jumped when he felt a warmth coming back at him. Seonghwa noticed this and immediately asked him what was wrong :

“Nothing I think, it's just- he's answering. Hongjoong, I feel- there's a heat, not mine, coming from him and it's answering me !”

Seonghwa didn't let hope take away his sanity and stayed focus :

“Don't lose yourself Mingi but it's an amazing news, keep going like that, but start giving him CPR.”

The younger felt the cold gather around him and opened his eyes to see that Seonghwa had closed his and had his hands over Hongjoong's body, a very fresh and light breeze falling over him like silk. More tears were running down his cheeks and he kept mumbling Hongjoong's name like a mantra, Mingi trying to remember that they had lost him and were currently fighting to bring him back.

“Come on come on,” he whispered, giving CPR to Hongjoong and looking at his face, but nothing was happening.

Yunho and Jongho had settled in an almost religious silence, watching from afar. The youngest had gotten closer to San and Yeosang, each of the boy's head on his thighs, fingers in their hair like a parent to their children. Yunho mentally thanked Hwanwoong as he took the boy's phone out, sending to the other Oneus members a message signaling where they were and how critical was the situation. It was all he could do until exhaustion caught him too, and he fainted near Wooyoung's body on the hard ground.

Mingi saw in from the corner of his eyes, so did Seonghwa - or Killer Frost - but neither could no anything about it. They had to bring Hongjoong back.

“What do I do now ? He's not responding,” he asked, loosing faith.

“You can't restart his heart alone, that's why I'm here,” said Seonghwa.

“What will you do ?”

“We're going to use the thermal shock like an electric shock. When I tell you to you stop and take your hands off, and I'll freeze with a violent cold his warming body. Use a higher temperature, the higher you can without burning him.”

“Are you sure ? Hyung-”

“Trust me,” Seonghwa's voice was cracking. He too was emotionally exhausted, even more than all of them considering he had closed himself to feel anything for _years_ before Hongjoong happened.

Mingi nodded, and warmed up, hands getting a light white with his veins getting visible.

“Now !”

Mingi jumped backwards but not too far, and he was shocked to hear Seonghwa's hands making an evaporating sound, understanding the ice meeting the hot skin of Hongjoong was responsible. The eldest grimaced at the hot feeling, and he froze his hands colder to go past it. Just like he had taught Mingi he focused on every little part and opening in Hongjoong, and froze everything he could, from head to toe. Mingi started getting scared at that, seeing how whiter the Colonel's body was getting.

“Seonghwa ... Seonghwa you have to stop, you're freezing his body it's not helping !”

He listened to the younger and got off, not with a panic sight but the one of someone who knew what they were doing perfectly. He looked at Mingi with a flame in his eyes that took the red-haired's breath away.

“Mingi now ! Hands as warm as possible shoot a heat wave in his body _now_ !”

He hurried to do so. The heat was left unanswered but Seonghwa didn't lost faith or time and went back to freezing Hongjoong's body. It was almost getting ridiculous, soon the navy-haired would be considered an ice statue at this rhythm.

“Seonghwa-”, warned Mingi again.

“Now !”

He shot his heat wave again, and both of them gasped when Hongjoong's body had a spasm. It was far from being enough and his pulse hadn't even started yet so they went back at it once, twice, thrice, ten times, and each of them Seonghwa trusted Mingi to stop him before he froze to much, the trust leaving a deep mark in the younger's heart. Seonghwa had trusted him to help with Hongjoong and now trusted him to stop him before he could hurt Hongjoong.

But at some point, it felt useless, the warmth from Mingi's hands was not enough anymore to melt Seonghwa's ice, and they were panting, tired, the red-haired barely able to hold his arms up with how much effort he had to do against the Goddess earlier, and even Seonghwa was weaker.

“We have to keep going- no no- we have to,” he fell forward on Hongjoong's immobile chest, panting hard, a sob choking him. “We can't give up.”

“Hyung, we did what we could ...”

“I refuse to give up,” he stood up abruptly, surprising Mingi, and next thing the red-haired new, the temperature dropped from above zero to way below it, and Seonghwa's lips were on Hongjoong's.

Mingi reached for the guys on each side of him to protect them from this intense cold, Seonghwa's selfishness not making him see that he was risking the other's life, and the red-haired was using his last resources to keep them alive, even Wooyoung and Yunho whom were so far ; Wooyoung especially, collapsed in water that threatened to turn into an ice coffin. Even with his heat he felt how cold he was, and seeing how a butterfly froze before falling on the ground and breaking into thousands of crystals, Mingi understood they had probably reached absolute zero.

“Seonghwa ! Stop it you're killing us !”

But it wasn't Seonghwa who took the cold away, no.

As quickly as it had spread, something aspired all the cold, ice and snow in the Cave, leaving only the previous wetness and warmth from the fights. Hongjoong's fingers twitched, Seonghwa stopped the kiss, but Hongjoong sucked in a breath, and the last remaining of coldness and winter weather disappeared in him. Seonghwa's jaw opened slack, and he felt like reliving his transformation in Killer Frost all over again : the second Hongjoong's eyes opened, his brown irises turning to golden and warm ones, but his hair changing from their dyed navy blue to a silver white from roots to tips, his eyebrows doing the same, way lighter than Seonghwa's platinum, making the later look almost blond next to him. A heat wave similar to Mingi's erupted from his body, and when he grabbed Seonghwa's hands, his nails were as bluish as the eldest. His skin had gone back to a honey tone, yet a light cover of frost was visible on some part of his skin, melting but coming back on other parts of his body those ones melting too. The wound going through his chest closed with his skin and tissues melting back together, and healed by a sudden plaque of ice which disappeared as fast.

Jongho had already fainted too, and it was only left to Mingi to witness this come back to life from Hongjoong, but the later only had eyes for Seonghwa, and vice versa. The red-haired didn't mind though, and after making sure their wouldn't be attacked by another wave of absolute zero cold, he allowed his body to relax and his mind to disconnect, and collapsed next to the two men like a dead weight. They were the only ones standing, not even registering the situation, only admiring each other. Seonghwa was stunned and shocked, tears that never stopped falling, finally ceasing their run down his cheeks.

“Hongjoong,” he whispered, afraid his voice would break him.

“You did it,” said the smaller man. “You killed me, you saved the others.”

“It was the worst thing I ever had to do, oh God Hongjoong you were dead ! I had killed you and I thought I'd never see you b-but you're back !”

The younger looked down at his body, feeling the changes, feeling that something in him had been silenced in order to awake something else.

“You saved me. Mingi and you, you saved him. I have a part of both of you in my heart,” he was not talking poetry or shit like that, he was speaking the truth, but neither of them knew yet to what extend he was true.

“Me too,” said Seonghwa with a wet laugh.

“What ?” asked a confused Hongjoong.

“I love you too Hongjoong.”

They smiled at each other and laughed wetly before their lips met again, in a kiss warmer than any of them should have been able to deliver.

*

It had been three weeks.

Three weeks since they had saved the world, three weeks since Hongjoong had died and been brought back by Seonghwa's and Mingi's powers, turning him into a meta-human the same way Wooyoung and Seonghwa had been ...

Three weeks since they had been sent back to the Detention Center, more or less comfortable with the idea ... Less than more to be honest ...

It had been three weeks, and it felt like nothing had changed.

After all of them had fainted and lost consciousness, Hongjoong and Seonghwa included, five hours passed until Oneus and the rest of the military finally found them and took them out of the Cave. Amanda had been more than grateful, immediately wrapping them all in survival blankets as their body temperature to all was dangerously low.

They had slept for days, some waking up before others depending on their needs and injuries, the biggest they had to heal being the temporary hearing loss, consequence of Jongho's power. So when they were all transfered into the same room after Mingi and Seonghwa woke up, they were pissed to see San, Jongho and Hongjoong missing.

“ _The mission is over, you needed heals and those had been provided. They needed some too and have been taken in a different wing of the hospital.”_

“ _Why ?!” had protested Seonghwa vehemently. “I want to see Hongjoong, I need to know he's fine !”_

Amanda has been as heartless as ever, barely answering him and only throwing on his bed Hongjoong's medical file. It had everything to prove Seonghwa that the younger was alive and well, yet it wasn't enough.

“ _You won't see him. When you and Agma over there thought it would be a good idea to team up to save his life, you didn't thought about the consequences of your actions at all.”_

“ _What's that supposed to mean ?!” asked Mingi aggressive. “We saved his life like you said !”_

“ _And made him a monster like you.”_

All the men of the room had sucked in a breath and widened their eyes. They were unconscious at the time, so no one but the two concerned had seen Hongjoong waking up and absorbing the cold around him to let it out warmly. They didn't know. And Seonghwa had sincerely forgotten, only remembering the fact that the man was alive.

“ _We don't know to what extend yet, but his body seem to be able to resist to very low and very high temperature at the same time, he's already proven capable of using ice, and almost burned his bed sheets the second after. You fucked up his DNA much more than yours had been. He's unable to control either his cold or his hot side, and that plus the inhuman strength he gained ...”_

They were afraid to know what Amanda would do with Hongjoong. They knew she couldn't have San as a personal soldier thanks to the smaller man, but now that he was the one in her sight, everything could happen. They knew what she was capable of, and she wouldn't hesitate to use Hongjoong as an object.

Seonghwa and Mingi had been shocked to learn what their powers had done to the Colonel, and despite the numerous visit from Oneus during which the six soldiers kept telling them that Hongjoong was doing better than Amanda was letting them know, they felt as relief as they did guilty.

Wooyoung and Yeosang had both been denied the same request to see San and Jongho, and they had learned by Hwanwoong that apparently, they had to sedate San as the boy had thrown his hospital room upside down when Amanda refused that he saw Wooyoung and the others.

“ _How come you can see us but they can't ? It's not against you but I'm trying to understand here,”_ had complained Yunho, confused. 

Then had came the moment to go back. They were pissed and angry, tried many times to get away by using their powers in vain. Amanda had all of them neutralized and thrown into the first plane for Ulleung Island.

Once they were here she accepted to negotiate the terms of their sentence. In addition of having time off their prison sentence, a few changes had been done :

Wooyoung managed to have removed the herbicide that was delivered in his cell every day, and even got Amanda to let him have a few harmless plants in his cell to have a better comfort.

Yeosang had told her to got to hell for refusing him to see Jongho, before asking if he could have an espresso machine.

“ _And I want Jongho to be able to visit if he wants to,”_ he had added. 

Amanda had laughed loudly.

“ _What makes you think he'll want to ? You were a toy for him, I know it's hard for you but, don't throw yourself on the first dick you see,”_ the blond had took it in without flinching but the woman would've hurt him less had she slapped him in the face. 

Mingi had gotten a real cell, and not just a metal tube barely big enough for him to sit. He was still kept outside and surrounded by water though.

Yunho had asked to see his brother at least once a week if the younger was ready to have him. He refused to have his prison sentence reduced if Amanda engaged herself in giving money to his mother and brother for the later's studies.

And Seonghwa ... Seonghwa kept asking for the same thing ... Hongjoong. He was thrown back into his frozen cell underground and nothing had changed for him, not that he cared. He had only one thing in mind, and knowing he'd still have twenty years behind bars before he could see that kept him from destroying everything around him.

They had all gone back to their lives, some things changing, others staying the same. Yeosang's cell not only got an espresso machine, but a comfortable bed, and books, making him feel like he was back in his little dorm in University.

Wooyoung kept growing peach roses, they surrounded every free space around him, and also tried from time to time to seduce the soldiers guarding him. But the men were wearing gas masks in order to protect themselves from Wooyoung's pheromones, frustrating the lilac-haired.

Yunho had started to see his brother, once a week like promised. His mother wasn't ready to see him yet, but she knew better then to keep the brothers apart, and so they usually met in the family's old apartment, one guard in the room but the others out for more privacy. One week he had helped his brother with his homework, the next they had played video games, like a normal family. He and Mingi had gotten the soldiers to agree to let them communicate with each other, sending harmless and sweet letters to keep contact. The red-haired was torn to be apart from Yunho, but he got comfort in reading what the older told him about the times with his brothers. It made their whole situation sweeter than it was.

Amanda had told them it was temporary though, they didn't know if they'd get better or worst, but considering they had  _saved the world_ , it felt a little ungrateful to throw them back into their dark pits like nothing had happened. So the woman decided to speak with South Korea's president as well as the American Council, the five criminals kept in the secret and silence, not knowing shit about this project. So they waited. 

Now a month after they had saved the world Wooyoung and Yeosang got the surprise to see guards enter their cells, but not the usual ones, military ones. 

“You have a visitor.”

Of course, neither of them wanted to hope too hard, but when they saw the black-haired males in front of them, they heart missed a few beats, and yet, they weren't even on the same floor.

Yeosang had started to lose faith, mostly because of Amanda's words. The bitch had managed to make the blond doubt about Jongho's feelings, making it a bit awkward now that they were finally in front of each other. The other guards received the orders to leave the room, leaving them a bit of privacy.

“Hello Yeosang.”

“Hi ...”

The blond had been on his fabric swing, and had not left it. He didn't know how to act and what to say, it had been so easy back then, but now ... He had a month to think about all of this over and over again, had a month to imagine himself in a relationship with Jongho and as classic and cliché as it way appear, he concluded that they could not be together ... Jongho was smart enough to know it too ... Yeosang was in jail, not close from getting out even with time off his sentence, and he couldn't ask of the younger to wait for him to come out.

Jongho must've made this conclusion too so why ? Why was he looking at him like if they were a newly wed couple ?

“You're not coming down from up there ?” there was no threat in his voice, only curiosity.

Yeosang said nothing and like the first time Hongjoong had came to him, he rolled over and untangled his legs from the clothes, naked feet touching the ground delicately like a feather.

“How have you been doing ?” Jongho furrowed his brows, watching him with concern and ramming his eyes on his body to look at him the best way.

Yeosang knew he had lost weight. He was not underfed, but his mind had been such a pain in the ass that he couldn't bring himself to eat much, and despite the new acquisition of a bed, his sleeping schedule wasn't better.

“I've been,” he answered with a careful smile. “You ?”

“My injuries were not really serious, it's my head who took a lot, and I've had migraine headache for two good weeks before it stopped. Now it's just a headache every Wednesday or so.”

Yeosang was glad to hear that Jongho had been doing fine and hadn't kept very serious injuries, but a question remained :

“Why ... What are you doing here ?”

The question seemed to genuinely surprise Jongho. They hadn't parted on best term : last time they had seen each other had been a rather steamy night, and both still had the memories of the pleasure, the touches, the tenderness en-carved in their minds, keeping them awake at night.

“I thought it was obvious. I wanted to see you Yeosang. I know what Waller told you when you asked to see me ...”

Yeosang held his breath :

“How ?” he whispered, eyes locked on the ground. He had gotten closer to Jongho, and even if he had the sudden urge to take the male into his arms, he was glad they were separated by b ars.

“Yunho told me. I crossed path with him several times lately ... Waller ... thought it'd be a good idea to keep for herself the fact that some of us got closer during this mission. She didn't mention it to the higher ups. It sounded like a bad idea at first but it's actually the best that can happen ...”

Yeosang didn't understand what Jongho meant by that, and getting the wrong idea, spitted :

“I guess it would look bad on your resume if people knew you slept with the Joker's boyfriend !”

The younger closed his eyes, as if he had been expecting this.

“I didn't sleep with the Joker's boyfriend Yeosang, I slept with _you_ , and you can tell me whatever you want but those are different people. Stop putting yourself behind him, stop hiding behind his name, I thought you had given up on him ! And I'm not talking about it for what we did, about a possible relationship for us, I'm saying this for you !”

They weren't losing time. Right when Yeosang thought he knew why he couldn't hang to Jongho, the younger wrecked his whole thoughts and reminded him why he actually wanted to hang to him. Damn he was good ...

And yes Yeosang was crying ... he had never cried so much for someone before it was insane ...

“I'm sorry,” said Jongho, “I shouldn't have yelled like that it's just- it pisses me off to see you still convinced that you don't deserve care and love ! Yeosang everything I told you back then was true ! I don't want to see you bending the knee to someone who doesn't deserve you ...”

“Would you fight for me ?”

The question took the black-haired by surprise and he was stunned for a few seconds. Yeosang hadn't given up on the idea that the Joker would come for him ... What he seemed to have given up though, was following him or not.

“Yeosang ... I wouldn't fight _for_ you ...”

The older's heart stopped beating painfully.

“You're not an object, I don't owe you, so I shouldn't fight _for_ you ... But _because_ of you, then yes, I would. If you need me to, I will. But I won't fight with the Joker because you can't chose Yeosang, I won't have you use me as a-”

“No ! No it's not what I meant at all !” hurried the blond horrified by what Jongho could imagine.

“Then what ?”

“... Jongho you're aware that this, whatever this is we have ... we can't keep it ... we can't do anything with it, y'know that right ?”

“Why ? Why can't we make it work ?”

Disbelieved, Yeosang widened his eyes and gestured his arms around hurriedly :

“I'm locked up Jongho ! You're free and on the side of the law, and I am a criminal who won't see the sun for at least 30 more years ! You can't wait for me !”

“Why not ?”

Was he being stubborn or just stupid ? That little shit was smirking ... stubborn it was.

“Jongho-”

“Yeosang listen,” he came closer, wrapping his hands around the bar and pushing his forehead on the cold metal. “Don't you think I had all this in mind the moment I decided to let you in ? Do you think I would've slept with you, tried to help you if it was for giving up on you the second a little complication arrives ?”

“A little complication,” snored the blond, ripping a gummy smile from the younger.

“Yes, a little complication,” he repeated. “I will do everything I can to make you get out of here as soon as possible Yeosang I swear. Legally. Waller is already negotiating with the big guys and if San, Hongjoong and I witness in your favors, we can get you out in only a few years, less than ten if we're lucky.”

“You can't wait for so long Jongho-”

“I want to. Do you want me to not do it ?”

Yeosang bit his lower lip, lost in thoughts. He could decide to see Jongho as his last chance to have someone in his life, someone that will save him and maybe the only person who was not afraid of him for who he was. Or he could see him for what he really felt for him, meaning a man he was willing to give up everything for.

“I want you to.”

“Then it's settled,” smiled wider the other.

“You said legally, Jongho please tell me you don't have an illegal back up plan in case things don't go as planned.”

Yeosang really didn't know how he'd feel about this. He knew that his insanity had came from the Joker's chemicals but he also knew that his madness had been increased and fed by someone who was worst than him. Yeosang had been the sane one with the Joker, but if he started something with Jongho, he needed the other to take this role, or he'd make Yeosang go completely insane again. He always had a little craziness he never let out, meeting the Joker had made it came out, so there was no way even out of jail he wouldn't keep his illegal activities. But at least he'd have someone to contain him, and keep him from the most dangerous things he'd want to do.

“Don't worry, I actually don't have any illegal ideas ...”

“Good, keep it that way.”

Jongho raised an amused brow :

“I'd have thought you wouldn't mind me taking risks for you.”

Yeosang finally came closer and passed a hand between the bars to cup one of Jongho's cheeks gently, running his thumb over the cheekbone.

“I wouldn't mind the Joker doing it, because that's who he is ... That's not how you work. So please, don't do anything illegal.”

Jongho had many emotions in his eyes, stunned, surprised, but also proud, and it's with the last one that he looked fondly at Yeosang, kissing his palm right when the door of the room opened to reveal a guard.

“Time's expired. You have to go back Choi.”

Yeosang took back his hand and Jongho smiled one last time at him, mouthing _I'll come back_ before the blond was left in the loneliness of his cell again, the guards making their way back at their post.

Wooyoung didn't recognized him at first. San had been wearing a gas mask and had the younger wondering the hell wanted this soldier, until he almost had a heart-attack upon seeing him remove the mask to reveal the familiar face.

“Sannie !” the lilac-haired had run to the glass of his cell, palms flat on it, almost breaking his nose against the wall that was separating them.

Another thing that had changed was that San had dyed his hair, the red now black with only one stripe of blue in the middle of his fringe. The hair was longer too, after a month it was normal, but Wooyoung didn't know why he looked more tired. He should have rested, right ?

“Hey Wooyoungie,” his dimpled smile only made the one on Wooyoung's face bigger. “It's been a while.”

“It has, I was started to think you had forgotten about me,” pouted the younger.

“I could never ! I'm really sorry I didn't came sooner but at first, the President didn't want to let us in contact with you any longer, surprisingly, we have to thanks Waller for this, she convinced him and the American Council that it wouldn't do any harm to let us see you.”

“Wait Waller ? I thought she was against the idea of us seeing you ? That's what she told us ...”

“She did ?!” asked San with surprised eyes. “We had a totally different talk ...”

They stared at each other for a while and Wooyoung shook his head.

“It doesn't matter, what matters now is that you're here.”

“I am. How are you ? I guess it's not fun to be locked up here again ...”

“It's not but it's better than before ... they don't use herbicide anymore and they let me have plants, I feel less lonely and weak ...”

“They used herbicide on you ?!”

“Yes, to nullify my powers.”

“Oh God ...,” San looked disgusted. Hongjoong might have keep that a secret from him after his visit last time, but Wooyoung wasn't mad at him for it. What good could it do that San knew, it's not like if he had a rank high enough to fix it.

“How are _you_? I couldn't see you after the last attack at the Island and you were pretty damaged ... You scared me so much when you started screaming like this ...”

San closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to chase the memory away.

“You know Hongjoong was choking Yeosang ? And I just wanted to try and see if I could find him and bring him back, or help him come back, so I dug into his mind. What we didn't know was that Halmang could do the same, and she beat me at my own game, coming in my head full force and started to wreck it. If it wasn't for Enchantress I'd be a vegetable right now ... She could've done serious damages ... She made me see horrible things, made me believe some of those were true and I was so lost and locked up in my own head,” San shook his head, face contorted by frustration, “there was nothing I could do against Her.”

“Hey San look at me, it's over now, She can't hurt you or any of us anymore okay ? We're safe, so forget about it.”

“I wish it was that simple ... I can't sleep well since then ... I have nightmares almost every night ...”

Wooyoung's brows knitted together in a worried expression :

“Is that why you look so tired ?”

The tired smile he got back answered his question.

“There's not just that. Hongjoong ...”

Wooyoung's head snapped up and he watched as San bit his lower lip and looked behind him at the masked soldiers. They were keeping a close eye on them so San lowered his voice when he spoke again, getting closer to the plants he could see behind the glass of the greenhouse, knowing they'd tell Wooyoung what he'd tell them :

“You must know that Seonghwa and Mingi tried to bring him back and succeeded ?”

Wooyoung nodded and mouthed :

“Waller told us about it. She told us that his body has been changed as well.”

“Well he needed help to control his abilities ... Just like he helped me control Enchantress the first days but ... he's powerful. Way much more than I was. It's nothing I can't handle now, but he's been having crises during which he goes rogue, and doesn't control anything. They don't know how to neutralize him when he does, because having both fire and ice they can't nullify both. So they keep him locked up in a cell probably similar to this one and Seonghwa's and Mingi's, with a temperature regulator. He might have both powers but he needs very low or high temperatures to live. He feels sick if it's between 0°F (-17°C) and 122°F (50°C). His body ... I don't know ... It's not like Seonghwa who can stand normal temperatures as long as they're not too hot ... He doesn't have any tolerance at all, it makes his surroundings deadly all the time ! We have to train in a cold room if we want to be productive ... it makes me use more of Enchantress' powers and it's exhausting ...”

Upon hearing this, Wooyoung reached for the man but of course, with the glass between them, he could only lean his hand higher on the glass, San finally seeing the movement and doing the same thing from his side of the glass.

“Don't go making _yourself_ sick San. Hongjoong wouldn't want that.”

“He doesn't. He yells at me every time he sees me enter the room but he needs me. He just won't say it so I don't feel obligated to come to him. It's crazy Wooyoung ... only his DNA changed, he didn't developed a second personality like Seonghwa-hyung ...”

“Every body reacts differently Sannie. And, Yeosang might be more suitable for explanations like this, but the context of their changes are very different. Hongjoong was brought back to life by the ones he loves. Seonghwa was accidentally locked in room because someone he loved had hurt him, the state of mind was very different. Seonghwa was in complete rejection while Hongjoong pretty much accepted that he had changed.”

San nodded, stars in his eyes when looking at Wooyoung.

“I wish I could hug you right now.”

The lilac-haired smirked.

“That's a dangerous thing to say to someone like me Choi San,” he joked.

“What if I want to live dangerously,” replied the older.

He had given up the seducing side of him during their mission as it wouldn't have been very useful, but Wooyoung decided to use it full on San, eyelids slightly closed, head tilted on the side, body arching against the glass and voice velvet when it came out of his throat :

“Then how about you come and play with me ? We could have so much fun together, mh ? You and I, alone in a room,” it was only a play but San was seeing for the first time the whole hypnotizing abilities the younger had with only his words. He was sure he felt more pheromones come out of the boy's body, passing through the cracks of the floor and the aeration of the greenhouse to fill the room.

San could feel Wooyoung holding back though, and he understood the armed guards behind him were the reason.

Looking back at the man he saw a sad smile, green eyes unfocused but directed in his direction.

“What are you thinking about pretty plant ?” he asked, still flirty but way calmer than last time.

“Silly dreams, ones I shouldn't have considering my situation ...”

“No dream is silly Wooyoung. Tell me.”

The younger sighed, and his eyes focused back on San, holding so many words and feeling he didn't know how to speak them up.

“Back on Jeju Island, between two zombies fight and a Goddess to take down ... I felt at peace ... I felt better than I had since I became Poison Wisteria ... I want to live there. On this Island, it's so green, so natural, it's like having shots of vitamins and good health for me. And now, I think it'd be nice if you could live with me. The two of us, alone on this Island, with our own little house at the Hallasan's feet.”

Wooyoung had looked down, probably afraid that San would laugh at his face, that this would be the moment San would break his heart, that he had been taken for a fool all along. He didn't have any of this. He looked up after a moment of silence to see the widest smile San had even done, shining like thousands of suns and giving Wooyoung the furious need to start photosynthesize. Truly one of San's own power.

“I love this idea so much Wooyoung ! It would be such an easy life ! But ... that's oddly romantic of you~,” his smile was so sweet but his eyes betrayed his deep feelings.

“Oh Sannie didn't you know ?” Wooyoung's confidence had shot up after hearing the male so genuinely happy, “I am a hopeless romantic,” he added a wink for good measure, loving how San just exploded in happy laugher right after.

“Time's off. Choi San you have to go back,” called a guard behind them.

“I'll come back,” promised San, “and I'll come back with the confirmation your dream will become reality-”

Feeling what the older was about to say, Wooyoung cut him :

“Don't promise me things you can't hold Choi San,” he warned. He had grown fond of San and was ready to open up to him and maybe love him, but he wouldn't let the other make the mistake to promise things.

“I swear it,” defied San with a burning determination on his eyes that made Wooyoung shiver from head to leaf.

Once the door was closed the soldier stared at Wooyoung's relaxed face before they saw them, and switched back to the seductive bitch he liked to show.

“Want to play with me too ?~” he sang.

“Shut up Jung,” snapped the first one.

“Make me asshole,” he licked his lips, a dangerous red liquid covering them visibly.

“If you don't stop with your pheromones we'll call Waller and she'll drown you in herbicide again,” said the second one.

Wooyoung had a loud laugh at that.

“Oh please, she doesn't care. You're wearing your masks, no ? So nothing will happen to you? She doesn't give two shits as long as you're safe. And you are, so~” he let out a stronger wave of pheromones, the air around him turning a slight green, making the soldiers sweat.

Wooyoung had one last thought before going back to his plants, and it was that he hoped Seonghwa knew about Hongjoong's condition.

The eldest didn't. He had no idea if Hongjoong had even survived after the adaptations his body had to make, he had no news, nothing since the hospital, and it drove him crazy. Everyday his cell was getting colder, the soldiers guarding it put on another layer of clothes, but the cold was even starting to make itself known on the upper floor where Yeosang's and Yunho's cell were, alarming the boys. Mingi was transfered at this moment, joining Seonghwa into an cell that seemed made from submarines walls.

The red-haired didn't understand why it was needed that they changed his cell, until he stepped into the lower floor and was welcomed with a frozen view. Everything was white, even worst than when Hongjoong had came the first time, and a light snow had gathered in the corners, thin and fragile snowflakes swirling around Seonghwa's cubic cell. It was a beautiful sight, but deadly, and Mingi understood quickly that his job was to warm up the temperature, and balance Seonghwa's powers.

Even if they couldn't see each other, their cells had been glued to one another, only a thick wall separating them, but there was an opening for communication. Mingi used it straight away.

“Hyung ? Are you okay in there ? Apparently you don't eat or sleep anymore ...”

It wasn't true. He did. Just barely enough to be kept alive.

“I'm fine,” the cold answer didn't even surprised Mingi. Seonghwa had only been warm for one person, and he couldn't even see him anymore.

“I don't think that's true because you almost killed all the guards of your cell.”

“If they really thought it was dangerous they wouldn't have sent you here. I can absorb the heat coming out of you and be more powerful than this. It wasn't smart to move you closer to me ...”

“We both know that if you really wanted to kill them you'd have done it already, with or without me,” they both knew what it really was about. By doing this, Seonghwa caught everyone's attention on his person, first because he was becoming a danger for the others, and second because he was using his powers when he wasn't supposed to. It was a call for attention. Seonghwa wanted to force them to call Waller so he could have a word with her.

“That's probably not what you want to hear, but thank you hyung,” kept going the red-haired.

He heard a joyless laugh from the other side and decided to sit down, back on the wall, crossed-legs. Another wave of heat left his body to warm up the place, and he was surprised and glad to not feel a cold one trying to overpower him.

“Why do you thank me ? We barely talked during the mission.”

“You're right, we didn't. But when we did, you helped me more in a dozen minutes than anyone, even Yunho, had in more time. You know why ?”

He took the silence as a _no_ , and answered his own question :

“Because you helped me understood my power. It might sound stupid but I didn't know my power. I used it without having a reality of its extend and possibilities. You helped me realize it was much more than just fire, burning things and destroying everything. You made me discover an aspect of my power I didn't think existed. And for that, I thank you.”

“What can you do of this knowledge _now_ , you can't use it.”

“I used it to save Hongjoong-hyung's life with you. Following your lead. You trusted me with my powers when even _I_ didn't. You don't know how much this meant to me.”

Seonghwa was laying on his bed, on his back, eyes closed, one hand on his chest the other hanging from the bed, legs stretched. Listening to Mingi, he clenched his fist around his shirt and sucked in a breath. This was not a part of the plan, playing the emotional elder brother with the younger and being something else than an ass. But deep inside of him, he knew Hongjoong had dug bigger roots than he thought, because everything the Colonel told him about Mingi came back to his mind, and he let out a very long and cold sigh, knowing he just wouldn't be able to brush it away heartlessly.

_Unlike you he thinks about others, he's afraid to use his powers because last time he did, he hurt people he cared about_

_It means there's still hope for him. And for you_

_If it beats, why do you act like you don't have it ?_

He closed his eyes as the last words echoed in his mind, and he found himself opening his mouth to be honest about his thoughts and feelings, for the first time since a long time.

“Mingi, I have to be honest ... You pissed me off at first.”

He heard the younger gasped and knew it had probably hurt him, and he himself tried to ignore the clenching of his heart.

“You have an amazing power, unlike the rest of us you didn't have a shitty life that led you to bad decisions, you just _lost control_. And I guess for someone like me, who never does, I thought it was an excuse, something you used to hide because you were a scared child.”

Seonghwa sat up and fell on his side, shoulder and head hitting the metallic wall of his cell with a little noise.

“But you proved me wrong. You said it, you were just ignorant and I can't blame you for that because who doesn't hesitate, who isn't scared when ignorant ? It's just human and I ... I had forgotten what it was like, to be human, to have doubts and fears. Hongjoong brought those back in me. You ... too. Differently. Hongjoong made me feel them, directly, while you showed me yours, raw and harsh, and showed me how human you were by letting them take the control of you, before you decided you had enough, and fought back to take control of them. You're amazing. I should be the one thanking you Mingi. I mean it.”

On the other side, the red-haired had slapped a hand over his mouth to cover any sob that could escape him, but warm tears were falling down his cheeks.

“Thank you for reminding me what it was like to be human. And most importantly ... thank you for trusting me with your powers. Because in the end, it's not me who trusted your powers. It's you, who trusted me to do the best thing with them.”

He had heard Mingi sniffled, the wall was thick but he had good ears, and he let a tender smile widen his lips, closing his eyes and enjoying the warm feeling of making someone happy spreading from his chest to the rest of his body.

It took Mingi a few seconds to calm down, and when he did he tried to hide that he had cried :

“I don't know what to say to that ... I guess there's nothing much to say.”

“There is. Fire and ice might nullify one another, but they also complete each other. We're a balance Mingi, never forget that.”

“Next time I want to rob a bank I call you, got it,” they chuckled lightly, heart light and mind free. “Hyung, actually, I got some news. About Hongjoong-hyung.”

Seonghwa's head snapped up to where he supposed Mingi was.

“You do ?! How ?”

“It's a complicated chain but Yunho, from Jongho, from San. Waller didn't lie, Hongjoong did became a meta-human and ... I don't know if this is going to make you feel better or worst, but he seems to have a combination of both our powers.”

“Fire and ice ? He can use fire and ice ?!”

“Yes and no. He can use them both, but not at the same time. It seems like you left a bigger print though ...”

“Why ?” the older didn't like how Mingi's tone was getting hesitant, as if he knew he was going to tell Seonghwa something he wouldn't like.

“Hongjoong-hyung can't live in a common temperated setting. His body might be able to produce heat, but he actually transforms it from the ice he consumes. He needs to be in a less than 0°F atmosphere constantly ...”

“Oh God, he'd need a suit that could regulate his body temperature or one that would lower the temperature around him if he wants to live a normal life ! He'd need a regulator for sure, but regulating the temperature around him would mean that everyone will be impacted when building a suit to regulate his own body temperature would be more convenient, but how big would that thing need to be ?! Oh and his head ! His head would need to be in a sort of scuba but that's the least practical thing ...”

Mingi had gone a little lost in Seonghwa's scientific babbling, but he was thrilled and surprised at the same time to hear to man so passionate about something, feeling the student in him had came back for a second.

What none of them knew yet was that the events of the next week would give them the chance to find the people they cared the most about again and clean their files, and start a new life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hongjoong's powers are inspired by the MCU (Marvel) villain Equinox, so yeah it's not a DC character but I really wanted to make a transition, Seonghwa and Mingi saving Hongjoong just gave me the best occasion to do so


	11. Episode 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So like I said, one update a day, here we are for the part 1 of the final arc ! Warning for blood, slight torture (?) and abuse, mention of abuse too, blood and violence but by now you know what all of this is about !  
> The Wooyoung one of you requested is here, I hope you will be satisfied by him and that he is what you wanted to see, 
> 
> Hope you'll like it, 
> 
> Enjoy !

It was but another normal day in Ulleung's Detention Center. Wooyoung was taking care of his plants, Yeosang was reading, drinking coffee and hanging from his cloth swing, Yunho had just came back from his mother's house, and Mingi and Seonghwa were playing noughts and crosses, managing to play on the wall separating their cells with their powers, locating where the wall was hotter and where it was colder to place their cross/circle. Seonghwa was winning.

A basic and quiet day, yet a week after Jongho's and San's visit to Yeosang and Wooyoung. Needless to say they were suppose to come visit any second now, so the two meta-humans were more than eager.

What they weren't expecting on the other hand, was the sudden and very loud explosion that shook the whole Island, making the earth shake so violently all of them lost their balance, as well as the soldiers guarding their cells.

At every level of the building the soldiers started running around like ants :

“What the fuck is going on ?!”

“Where is Griggs ?! We need him right now !”

“Everyone on in the North corner ! Someone blew up the yard's wall !”

Seonghwa and Mingi had gotten back on their feet and snapped their heads towards one another - at least where they thought they'd be if they could see each other - and they got closer to their cell. The order had been given through all the floors and so all of them heard it. Someone had made one of the prison wall explode. The first layer before the Center itself.

Yeosang's heart skipped a beat as he remembered his conversation with Jongho ; it couldn't be him, could it ? He sure hoped it wasn't, he thought he had made it clear to the youngest that he didn't want any of this to happen.

“Speak to us what is going on ?! Who are they ?!” he heard one guard ask before he stormed out of the room.

_They ?_ That wouldn't be Jongho if there was a  _they_ ! There was only three guards left in the room but when one of their coms turned on to say they needed all the backups they could have, Yeosang understood this was way bigger than just a little operation to get him out. Racking his brain to find out what the hell could be happening right now, one possibility prevailed, but he prayed all the Gods - yeah he still did that - known to men/women that it wasn't. 

Wooyoung was the first to know what the hell was going on. Being at the highest point of the Detention Center, he quickly realized it was a coordinated attack when the glass ceiling exploded above him, thousands of shreds falling over his own glass cell, and five men rappelled down all around him. The one guard that had been left to look after Wooyoung was taken down in a second, the lilac-haired crouching by reflex. The men were masked and dressed in heavy military suits, but it was obvious they weren't from the government. They had weird clown faces drawn on their gas masks, or animal faces, and it took only a second to Wooyoung to understand who the fuck was responsible for this attack. His suspicions were confirmed when the men looked at him and one of them called in a communicator :

“Hey J, we found Poison Wisteria, he's at the highest floor. Griggs was right, Quinn isn't the only one here.”

“ _Let him go free. He's one of us after all. But if he starts being a problem, kill him_ ”

Wooyoung's blood froze when he recognized this peculiar voice, but he kept it cool and turned his cold eyes to the men.

“It's your lucky day, our Boss decided he'll let all of you go free,” one of them said, placing a little bomb on the door of Wooyoung's cell.

It exploded a few seconds after, and another one said :

“That's his high generosity, he'll get his Quinn back today after all,” the play of words made all of them but the lilac-haired laugh.

He had the confirmation the Joker had came here to take Yeosang back, and he would not let that happen. Knowing that he was still in a weaker position, he was glad they didn't say anything to him when he took his most toxic plants in his arms and followed them. They took their gas masks off once they were sure they had left the greenhouse, but it seemed they had been misinformed about the gas they needed to be protected from. They must've thought it was still the herbicide against Wooyoung, when in reality ...

“Hey what is this smell-”

“The fuck are you do- oh shit”

“You were right,” they all turned to Wooyoung to see the boy's eyes a flashy green, smirking and body language showing danger yet sensuality. “It is my lucky day, yours on the other hand ... men never learn ... He thinks he can come here, after he let him rot for almost a year, and take him back ?”

Slowly the realization made the men widen their eyes in horror but it was too late, they couldn't move, and the heaviness of Wooyoung's gas started to choke them.

“My best friend is not an object ! I will not have the Joker take him back to the dirty hole he lives in and treat him like shit again.”

By now the men were on their knees, gasping for fresh air, and Wooyoung walked to them, entrancing as ever, breathing in his poisoned air with immune lungs. He had been sad and almost physically hurt to not be able to use the most of his powers during the Suicide Squad mission : yes, growing plants and talking to them was a big deal, but it wasn't Wooyoung's best move. Manipulation, control, fascination ? That was. And so he found himself finally, walking like a God, feet naked touching the ground lightly, the vines on his body growing longer and stronger under his skin, a familiar ivy flower growing behind his right ear to adorn his lilac hair.

He kneeled in front of the man closest to him, and with the tip of his finger, raised the man's chin. The skin immediately started to itch here, but Wooyoung kept a straight eye contact with his first victim.

“You don't work for Joker anymore, now you work for me,” he grabbed the man by the neck and kissed him, making sure his neurotoxin level wasn't too high so he wouldn't kill the guy.

He pulled back and the man blinked, Wooyoung watching with satisfaction the veins in his eyes turn green and his irises covering in a light pink veil. Wooyoung smirked, proud of himself. He stood up and the man followed, now eyes fixated on the younger boy, and the later had a lonely laugh. It had been so long since he had taken the control of someone. It felt so good. His heart clenched a little at the thought of San but it's not like if the man didn't already know this about him : Wooyoung wouldn't be able to stop even if he wanted to. It was a part of him now. 

He kissed the four other guards and had them in lines on his side and in front of him.

“We're getting one of my friends first, so follow closely and at any sign of your little comrades, shoot on sight. Leave one or two alive so I can make them my puppets.”

“Yes Poison Wisteria,” answered the five men at the same time.

Wooyoung smirked to himself : “Perfect, let's go.”

They didn't lose time. Well, he didn't, the others followed. He fortunately knew how to navigate between the corridors and floors, as he hadn't been blindfolded the second time he was locked in the Center, and so he ran directly to the elevators. Seeing as it could only feet three people, he sent the other three guards to the stairs.

Another explosion was heard and shook the whole building, making the lights in the elevator flicker for a quick second.

“The hell was that ?!” he asked, not really thinking he'd get an answer.

“Mister J decided to attack at three points to free all of you. He must've dug and made the underground floor explode too.”

The underground floor. Seonghwa's floor. As soon as the elevator's door opened, Wooyoung ran to the first nursery he saw. They weren't under any experimentations here, but he had seen the rooms when passing by, guessing it was more for the soldiers than the criminals. He looked through all the stuff and had a little happy shriek when he finally found what he was looking for : a little tube.

He blew into the tube and closed it with cork, and gave it to one of the men.

“You take this and go to the underground floor. Blow this on two of your comrades and bring me mine safe and sound or I'll kill you, understood ?”

“Yes Sir.”

“Good, now go and hurry the hell up !”

Wooyoung took a moment to breath and close his eyes, trying to think about the current situation. He had been nicely waiting for San barely ten minutes prior and now he was there ...

_San_

He snapped his eyes open in horror. San and Jongho would be shot on sight, if not worst, their chopper could be taken down as soon as Joker's men would see it. He needed to get Yunho and he needed to be fast.

He broke back into a run, navigating between the broken pieces of ceiling, dust and rock not bothering his naked feet one bit. He didn't know where Yunho was, and even if he knew there might still be soldiers in the Center for them, he started to call him :

“Yunho ! Yunho ! I need to know where the fuck you are ! Yunh-”

Another explosion shook the building and made Wooyoung stumble, hitting the wall with his shoulder and huffing as the breath was knocked off his lungs. He was stunned a few seconds and grumbled :

“God, can't have a quiet month in this hell-hole ? Yunho !”

“Wooyoung ?!”

_There,_ his head snapped to his right, where he was running to in the first place, and he noticed a heavy metal door a little damaged but still doing its job, to his unhappiness. 

“Shit,” he let out. “Yeah Yunho it's me, you okay in there ?”

“How the fuck did you broke free ? And what the hell is going on ?!”

Wooyoung made a gesture to the five men after him and ordered them to open the door. They moved the body of the two soldiers who were assigned to Yunho's surveillance and started working.

“You should get back a little,” he warned Yunho before the door's hinges exploded loudly, making the younger wince at the noise.

The loud thump that followed when the door crashed on the ground wasn't any better, and Wooyoung got worried that people might have heard them. Not that it would be a real problem to take care of per say, but it would take a time he unfortunately knew they didn't have. On the other side of the door Yunho stood, shocked and stunned.

“The hell ...”

“It's the Joker, he's here to take Yeosang back and as a side 'mission' save us from here. If they see us free they won't shoot at us, but I'll be damned before letting this asshole take my best friend away one more time. So I hypnotized his guys and now we need to make sure Jongho and San arrive here safe.”

Yunho stayed stunned another thirty seconds before his brain caught up.

“If Joker's men see them they'll shoot at sight and kill them !”

“Exactly.”

“I got it, we have to secure the landing area,” he said, stealing a gun to one of the dead soldier. “Sorry, I need it more than you do,” he then turned back to Wooyoung. “Alright, where to ?”

“Wait a second, first,” Wooyoung looked at one of the man under his control, “what was this explosion just now ?”

“The third and final blow. The one leading directly to Quinn's cell.”

“Yeosang's,” breathed out Wooyoung.

“Yes.”

“Fucking hell !”

“Maybe you should go to him Woo, I can take care of the ones on the landing area,” suggested Yunho.

“Are you insane ?!” said Wooyoung close to rip his hair off his head, “you don't know how many of them they are and what fire power they have !”

“Only guns like ours. Two sniper, five rifles, and one rocket-launcher to take down the chopper from the government we know is coming,” answered automatically one of the soldiers.

Both Wooyoung and Yunho stared at him before blinking a few times, the younger's face breaking into a smirk. Yunho eyes him carefully :

“That's fucking terrifying, I never want to get on your bad side,” he said with a half-hearted laugh.

“No risk that happens- I mean I do hate the human kind by default, but I can make exceptions ... only seven though, then I'll reach my limit. No more talk, let's move. I'll send three with you, it'll make things easier.”

Yunho nodded and started running to the landing area with three soldiers at his side, Wooyoung only left with two of them. Enough in his opinion, he'd only need to play it well. He knew they considered Yeosang more dangerous than Yunho and his cell wouldn't be just an access through a huge door, so he made a detour by the director's office. He only crossed path with dead bodies, it was terrifying and really weird that he saw no one else, it was like every soldiers was trying to defend the Center, while the big arms like the Director and some secretaries were all missing. It reminded Wooyoung of something one of the man had said :  _Griggs was right, Quinn isn't the only one here_ . His memories of the man weren't so great but he was 99% sure Griggs was the one supposedly in charge of all the soldiers here. Was he a part of this as well ?

Still running, Wooyoung asked one of the soldiers :

“Yeah, Mister J paid him to disappear today. He's also the one who gave Mister J the plans of the Center and helped us prepare the attack. That's how we knew that you and the others were here, and where was Quinn's cell located.”

This was so not good. Wooyoung needed to find it too as fast as possible.

“Don't you know where it is ? His cell ?!”

“Yes we do.”

Wooyoung stopped abruptly and the other two followed, one of them almost falling. Slowly he turned to look at them and the men loudly swallowed, aware they had done something wrong despite their clouded minds.

“You know where Yeosang's cell is ?”

“Well, yes, we were suppose to meet Joker there.”

Wooyoung lost his shit and snapped his hand in a fist, leading to an unexpected root to shoot from the ground and wrap around the man's neck. His cold green stare didn't leave the man's choking face and even raised his chin up a little, enjoying how the man fell on his knees for him. The second one would've probably run away if he wasn't still under Wooyoung's toxine, so he just watched the scene unphased.

“Idiot, couldn't you have said so sooner ?” the lilac-haired hated that he needed this useless piece of shit and freed him, reminding himself that he could kill him once all of this was over.

Just when he was about to ask them to lead him to Yeosang's cell he was surprised by a call of his name.

“Wooyoung ?!”

*

_a few minutes earlier, underground floor_

Seonghwa and Mingi watched in surprise as all the guards in the room left them alone, not even minding that they could try to escape.

“What is going on ?”

“I have no idea but if it needs all the striking forces of the Center, it's big,” answered Seonghwa. “What do we do ?”

“I don't know. We could try to get out, but what if all of this is a test and they make us rot in here until the day we die ...”

Mingi's hypothesis didn't sound that stupid and Seonghwa strongly considered it for a hot second. But too many things weren't adding, like the fact they were looking for their leader, how the building had shaken clearly victim of an explosion.

“Maybe we should wait a few more minutes to see what happens,” said Mingi, and Seonghwa nodded, before remembering the red-haired couldn't see him.

“Alright, but I have a bad feeling about this...”

“Me too.”

It took them barely a minute to change their minds about staying still when they heard gun shots, screams, bodies hitting the floor, then a long silence followed by the explosion of the door leading to their cells. They both had the reflex to take a few steps back, fists clenched and ready to fight.

“Killer Frost ?” called a voice.

“Depends who's asking,” answered Seonghwa, furrowing his brows.

“We work for Joker,” was the only thing he got before he heard a loud beeping noise and the door of his cell opened, revealing a dozen men armed and covered with clown masks. No doubts, this was the Joker's band.

“What does he want with me ?”

“With you ?” laughed a man. “Nothing. We're not here for you, we're here for the Quinn.”

Another soldier opened Mingi's cell and once the red-haired was out, he exchanged a curious glance with Seonghwa.

“The Quinn ? I don't understand,” said the eldest.

“They're here for Yeosang, hyung,” said Mingi clearly not comfortable despite having been freed by these men.

“Yeah we are. Joker felt generous enough to let you and the other prisoners go free. Do whatever but don't stand in our way. We'll kill you otherwise.”

That got Seonghwa to raise a brow at the obvious threat coming from the other's lips. Cold started to emanate from him and Mingi smirk, sliding the other a glance and turning back to the soldiers in front of him. There was a total of ten men, but the two of them had the striking force of ten men _each_ ... they could do this.

“Oh ? Kill us, really ?”

“If your stand in our way yes. But you won't, so don't sweat it.”

“Oh I wouldn't worry about sweating to much, being hot isn't my thing,” said Seonghwa, stepping forwards to the man. “But I don't like being threatened by puppets, so I suggest you hold your tongue.”

The masked man had a laugh. The men's eyes were still visible and they showed a clear arrogance Seonghwa couldn't wait to swipe off his face.

“Why is the Joker coming for Yeosang _now_?” Mingi used the distraction to ask the question that burned his lips.

“He didn't want to at first. Turned out he didn't have a choice, he's planning something big for Seoul and he needs Quinn.”

“To use as bait,” barked Seonghwa furious.

“I wouldn't say bait,” said another man laughing, “a shield would be more appropriate-”

He couldn't finish before Seonghwa had raised his hand and threw an ice spike through his chest, killing him in a second. The others watched shocked how the body got covered in a thick layer of ice immediately and they turned back to see Seonghwa in Killer Frost mode.

“I don't think we'll let him do that, what do you think Mingi ?”

The red-haired's palms had taken fire, his eyes a burning red and skin flashing white.

“I think you're completely right hyung, we won't let Joker do as he pleases with one of us. You see, we're a Squad now.”

The men targeted them but were too slow to pull the trigger, Mingi and Seonghwa shooting their powers at one another, the high temperature difference causing a deaf but violent explosion that threw sorts of carbonated spears everywhere, touching half of the men lethally. The remaining didn't have much chance, Seonghwa freezing the whole ground and trapping them in the ice before he approached them with his hand wrapped around an ice spear.

“A terrible idea really,” he smirked, placing his foot on top of one of the man's hand whom was trying to reach for his weapon. “Would you try to fight fire ?” the man shook his head,” would you try to fight ice ?” another shake of head. “Then why trying to fight both ?”

The man spit on Seonghwa's boot, making the eldest scrunch his nose in disgust.

“You're humans, don't go play the Gods on us,” Killer Frost had enough and stabbed the man, immediately going over a second one and doing the same.

At the same time, Mingi was catching with his burning hands the bullets thrown at his head, opening his palms to reveal melted metal. He then let out a loud roar and with both hands opened in front of him, roasted - literally - the men left.

“We know what Gods are like, an believe me, you wouldn't stand a chance against them. You didn't stand a chance against us either it's true, but we're not Gods,” said Seonghwa to who he had guessed was the leader of this little team, and had found funny to threaten him earlier. “Even your dear Joker wouldn't stand a chance against us.”

“We're not Gods we're Kings,” added Mingi from afar right before Seonghwa killed the last man. He then turned to the younger with a raised brow and a snaky expression on his face. Mingi caught into it really fast and blushed furiously.

“Shut up,” he grumbled.

“We're _kings_? Seriously what is this, a movie ?” laughed Seonghwa, harder than he had in years after seeing the embarassement of the other.

“I thought it was cool !”

“Oh yeah for sure, it is cool, in a _movie._ ”

“Shut up hyung !”

Still laughing Seonghwa started walking towards the exploded giant doors, spear still in hand and called to Mingi when he saw the younger was not following :

“Well what are you waiting for your Highness Song ? We do have a clown to stop !”

“Hyung !” whined Mingi, but jogging to join the other.

A third explosion caught their little fun short and they grabbed each other to not crash on the ground, between the soldiers' corpse.

“I could almost feel sorry for them,” commented Seonghwa.

“Really ?” asked the red-haired surprised.

“I said almost.”

“Ah right,” he had a little laugh and then got serious again.

“I don't know what that was but we need to join the others as fast as we can.”

Seonghwa nodded : “I hope they're fine.”

“Joker's men said he wanted to let us out, there's no reason they're not,” Mingi's thoughts led him to Yunho in an instant.

“Don't worry I wasn't thinking about Yunho, I'm more worried about Wooyoung. He won't let Joker take Yeosang away.”

“Neither will we !”

“Yes but he's fiercer than us when it's about his friend, more protective. I can understand that.”

They had gotten into the elevator and were surprised to see the doors opening before they pressed the buttons, going in a defensive position. The elevator opened and two Joker men appeared, blinking a few times at the two meta-humans in front of them. Mingi was ready to roast them but Seonghwa stopped him :

“Wait ! There's something different about them.”

One of them spoke up :

“We were sent by Poison Wisteria to help you and blow this on some of our comrades,” he said, raising a little tube at eye level.

Seeing the green smoke Seonghwa understood.

“Wooyoung made them his puppets ...”

“He can do that ?”

“Of course he can, his powers are so much more than what he showed us back on Jeju ...”

“Where is he ?” asked Mingi.

The elevator led them to the principal floor, and as soon as the doors opened again, they faced six of Joker's men. They didn't seem surprised to see them but one of them still got suspicious, especially when his eyes settled on Seonghwa's spear and the hypnotized state of their two colleagues.

“Hey, where's the team that was suppose to free you ?”

The two meta-humans exchanged a look and a silent message went between them, nodding before attacking. They couldn't do much since they were in an elevator and so they kicked the man in the chest making the others stumble, so it could free them the way to go out. They then surrounded them, Mingi taking one side and Seonghwa the other. Unfortunately, the bastards were fast and they started shooting at the eldest, which forced him to dodge by kneeling before raising an ice wall right in front of him that stopped the bullets. He grunted and shot a hand to his shoulder, seeing how it had grazed his skin and left a little cut through his clothes, a little bit of clear blood escaping from the little wound. He froze it and clenched his fists, dropping his spear, ice gathering around his skin like bigger versions of brass knuckles. A quick glance at Wooyoung's men and he saw them dead in the elevator. Useless ...

He rolled on the side, surprising the men that were reloading their guns and took the first one, breaking his nose in the process. Mingi had opted for the same strategy, too risky to use his fire largely like this. His palms were burning hot and he had switched to close combat, burning the chambers of the guns to neutralize them but still having to deal with the knife attacks.

Seonghwa blocked a hook directed at him and punched the man in the stomach, leaving his fist a little longer than necessary to make sure he'd froze, attacking the second one. One of his brass knuckles broke into crystals when the second opponent hit his hand with his gun but it wasn't enough to make Seonghwa back down, and he called Killer Frost once more, taking a hold of the man's arm when the tried to hit him and froze it until he could break it, and he did, kicking him in the stomach before he did a overhead kick and broke the man's arm in thousands of pieces. The screams were annoying and hurt his ears, so he made sure to shove a stalactite through the man's throat, letting him choke on his own blood.

He took a moment to run a hand through his hair, blowing on a few wild locks and letting out a smoky breath.

“Time to cool things down,” he blew on his third opponent and the man immediately started to gasp, breath cut short by the ice crystals gathering in his respiratory system, Seonghwa finishing him by turning his other brass knuckle into a hammer and breaking it on the man's head.

Mingi had seen from the corner of his eyes that Seonghwa was a little further, meaning that if he controlled his powers well, he could get rid of his enemies quickly and efficiently. The men has resolved in using their knives as their guns were useless, and Mingi couldn't dodge one fast enough, getting a straight but harmless cut right on the skin of his throat. He widened his eyes and a passing thought told him that if he had been closer, he would've probably died. He grabbed the man's arm who immediately scream because of the instant burn and dropped his knife, and Mingi put his other hand on the man's chest and lit up, making him burst into flames and carbonized like he had done with the archaeologist. He didn't have the time to dodge the second knife that was thrown his way and had to stop it with one hand, scared for a moment that his palm heat wouldn't be enough but relieved when he only felt the tip of the blade pierce his skin before he it started to melt.

The second man had much more fighting skills than the others and Mingi had to get back further, hitting the wall and swearing, dropping in a crunching position when the other kicked his leg at his head. He grabbed the man's thigh and made him take fire too, standing up panting but ready to take down the third one.

The last an standing was currently shitting himself, eyes darting between Seonghwa and Mingi, fear evident in his face, and it only got worst when the younger started to walk to him with a flaming hand.

“Wait,” stopped Seonghwa, him too getting closer. “We need informations.”

“I won't give you anything.”

Seonghwa snapped his fingers and pinned him against the wall with spikes holding his clothes, and Mingi's hand was very close to his face, so close that he could feel it the same way one could feel the fire's heat at a camp.

“I think you'll give us just what we need. Where's Yeosang's cell ? You have to know, otherwise, you wouldn't have attacked.”

The man gulped and stared at Seonghwa with the strong intention to not speak, and reluctantly, Mingi got his hand closer. He was once more stopped by his hyung's hand on his wrist.

“Don't, I know you don't want to do this.”

The red-haired widened his eyes. It is true that right now he had killed men because the situation was critical, but if he could not torture them he'd be glad. He couldn't thank Seonghwa enough for seeing it and taking his states of mind in consideration.

He watched as the eldest froze one of the man's arm from the hand to the elbow, and used an ice knife to break it. The man couldn't feel pain per say, his nerves were frozen, but just the thought of seeing his own arm broke like glass must be terrifying.

“Where is Yeosang's cell ? You still have another arm and two legs, and I can do this all day,” threatened Seonghwa with his hand already grabbing the other man's arm.

“Wait wait wait- ! I'll tell you please don't hurt me !”

Seonghwa smirked and listen to everything the other was saying, nodding a few times to show he was following.

“Great thank you !”

Mingi started to go in the direction pointed by the man, Seonghwa hot (as much as he could) on his heels, but a voice startled them.

“Hey ! Aren't you forgetting something ?!”

Mingi turned his head to see Seonghwa's eyes turning white and he snapped it to face in front of him again, wishing the other man had just known when to shut up. Instead he had to listen to the man's scream of agony when Seonghwa decided to slowly freeze his whole body from the inside before the outside, and he even hissed when he heard loud crash. The eldest was back at his side a minute later, a few drops of blood tainting his living-dead skin, and making Mingi gulp.

“Really ?” he asked, close to nausea.

“I needed my fun. It's been a while since I had done that,” he shrugged it off.

They resumed their ran through the corridors and were surprised when at a corner, they met with a familiar face :

“Wooyoung ?!”

The younger turned to them with wide eyes, taking in their not so clean appearance and guessing they had to go through fights too.

“Where the hell are my puppets ?!” he asked.

Seonghwa resumed the story real quick while Wooyoung took a look at them.

Mingi had ripped the upper part of his orange suit to leave only the pants, showing a white tank top under it. Seonghwa had kept a clean suit, of course, and Wooyoung wasn't even wearing the whole thing.

“We know they're here for Yeosang. We were going to his cell just now-” a series of gunshots coming from outside the building got to them and they all looked at each other.

“What was _that_?”

“Oh God Yunho !” remembered Wooyoung.

“What do you mean _Yunho_ ?!” worried Mingi.

“San was supposed to come today, to visit me ! Yunho went to the landing area with some of Joker's men I had under my control, the noise must come from here !”

“I'll go-” started Seonghwa.

“No,” cut Mingi, “I'll go, hyung you go with Wooyoung. We can't let them take Yeosang and you'll be more useful then me.”

“But-”

“He's right,” stepped in Wooyoung, “your power in more directed while Mingi's more useful when spread.”

Surprising them all, Seonghwa took Mingi in his arms, making the red-haired really confused and embarrassed. As quickly as it had happened the platinum-haired pushed him away, face stripped of all emotions.

“Sorry, a moment of weakness, let's get going. And ... come back with Yunho in one piece please.”

He turned his back and walked away, slow enough so Wooyoung could catch up to him, the later exchanging a knowing glance with a smiling Mingi before they parted. Yeosang's cell wasn't that far, it was just a pain in the ass to access, and they were practically sure Joker hadn't decided to just go through the front door. They ran through the corridors, Seonghwa took down three heavy doors before they arrived in front of two double ones like the ones he had for his cell, and they made Joker's men use the remaining of their explosives to take them down.

_a few minutes earlier, Yeosang's cell_

Yeosang had heard the two first explosions loud and clear : one above, one below. His thoughts went to the others, hoping they were safe and nothing had come for them. What he hadn't expect was the third one who took down the whole south wall of the room, letting a very big opening right in the right corner behind him. He crouched down, cursing now his tendency to not wear a lot of clothes as some big pieces of wall crashed around him, some leaving cuts on his forearms. The dust blinded him and made him cough violently, and he did not see the armed and masked men advancing all around his squarish and bared cell, one of them using a hacksaw to cut the bars.

Yeosang jumped and fell on his ass, retreated until his back hit the bars on the other side.

The outfits worn by the men were familiar, the masks too, but Yeosang really understood what was going on when he saw one of the man, taller than the others, walking to him with a mask on which was painted a big J. His heart skipped a few beats and a deep fear got a hold of him, freezing the blood in his veins and making him blackout only for a second, his ears cutting out the noises and his eyes showing him only darkness before he was roughly put back on his feet. The man in front of him took his mask and helmet off and Yeosang's eyes widened when he saw who was behind :

“Puddin',” he whispered, the nickname passing his lips like a habit.

“Kangley baby, didn't you miss Daddy ?!”

Actually no, he had not. Well yes he had, the first six months, but since the mission ... no, he hadn't missed the Joker. If anything seeing him in front of him right now only made him stressed and anxious, not relieved like he could've been a few months back.

Of course Joker didn't care if Yeosang answered or not, proof was, he was talking again, but Yeosang wasn't listening. He looked at his angular lips, sharp nose, the square of his chin and jaw, the dirty neon green hair falling in front of his face, and the worst or best : the glint of complete madness in his dark eyes. Yes, a few months back, Yeosang would've fallen right back in his arms. But now, watching him, he realized it wasn't what he wanted. He wasn't  _who_ he wanted. Because as he looked at him, he couldn't help but notice how much of Jongho he couldn't see. And it relieved him : it proved that he wasn't searching for the Joker in Jongho. He already knew that mentally, they were nothing alike, but now that he could see the Joker in front of him again, he knew that Jongho wasn't a phase, or an exit door. He was Jongho. A man Yeosang had fallen for. So he couldn't let this monster take him back. 

But first, he needed to have a conversation. A well deserved, explanatory and break-up conversation.

“Why didn't you came sooner ?” he cut Joker right in the middle of his sentence, the other stopping with his mouth open, then closing it and furrowing his brows, head lowered with a playful face.

“It doesn't matter darling ! I couldn't before, but now I came for you ! Now come quick, we saw a chopper and there might be one or two heroes we have to take down before leaving. How about that as a welcome back gift,” he took a gun out of his holster, and Yeosang immediately recognized it as one of his own, black and red with Joker's letter written all over the barrel.

He took it, a little stunned, before snapping his head up.

“Two heroes ?”

“Yes I know, it's not as much as you would've wanted, but-”

“No ! No don't kill them !”

He ignored the shocked face of the other and tried to go past him, hoping he could save Jongho before it was too late but a harsh gloved hand grabbed his wrist painfully.

“I don't know what games you're playing Kangley, but I don't like this at all. Why do you care about those two heroes wannabe ?”

“Let me go !”

Joker's hold only tightened and ripped a whimper from Yeosang, and before he could register he was pinned on the wall of his cell and had rough lips kissing his.

It felt nothing near good. Joker was biting his lips harshly, drawing blood and forcing Yeosang to open his mouth to shove his tongue down his throat, not caring about the pained noises that escaped him from the bars digging in his back. Joker didn't care at all about him. He knew it, so why did it felt like discovering it all over again now that he had realized he didn't want it anymore.

Joker finally pulled off, leaving Yeosang disgusted but breathless.

“I love it when you whine for me baby boy,” said the other in a breath.

“I'm not your baby boy, and you hurt me,” said Yeosang, wrists red from the grip on him.

“You love it when I hurt you.”

“No, no I don't, get off, please,” he whispered the last words, scared, and hated himself for it. He had never been so weak in front of Joker before, even when he was begging the man to not rape him.

Joker frowned but let go off him, only taking one step back, meaning that he was still very much in the other's personal space.

“I'll ask again, why did you came only now ?”

“Kangely-”

“Answer !”

“Because I missed you baby ! Why else !”

“I've been gone seven month for fuck's sake ! When exactly did you started to miss me ?!”

Joker always seemed like the Boss, but at really rare moments, he let Yeosang be the Boss of him. Those moments never lasted and Yeosang would always pay it afterwards, but if he could use it to get as much from the man as possible, then he would.

“When ?!” he repeated taking a step forwards and making Joker take one back. His men were silent, not even looking at them - they better not - but Yeosang did hear a distinct nervous swallowing.

“I couldn't get to you before. When I finally could this Waller bitch got you out and threw you into the streets to save the world and frankly, what a good choice she made !”

“I almost died out there ! And it happened only a month ago, you're really trying to make me believe that _you_ , Seoul's Prince of Crime, needed seven fucking months to find me ?! You didn't care about me did you ?!”

“I do peanut, I swear I do-”

“Don't. Call me that. And answer the fucking question !”

“I needed you !”

The words caught Yeosang off guard and he wondered if his ears weren't playing tricks on him. Joker, the Joker couldn't have said that, right ?!

“It's only been a month and the security isn't back at its highest yet, it's the best opportunity we can have to rob as many banks as possible ! Seoul is suppose to receive a gift from the American President, that would go so well in my collection !”

Oh. He should have known. Not that he would've gone with Joker anyway but at least he would've been less disappointed and could've put Joker's behavior on a sick man who showed love only the way he knew how to probably because he lacked in that from his parents. But no, no diagnostic, he was just an asshole.

“I need you to have my back Kangley darling !”

Yeosang was numb, arms falling on his side but the grip around his gun steadier than ever, he knew what he wanted to do would probably cost him his life, but he didn't care. He had enough of being manipulated, he had enough of the mind's game, he had enough of Joker.

“You didn't need me to have your back. You need me to be your bulletproof jacket. You need me to be the one they catch, again, if things go wrong. D'you think I forgot how you just let me, in that car ? I could've died by you just, swam away, even after I told you that I didn't know how to swim.”

“I had to save myself darling,” said the Joker, raising his hands as if to say  _ my bad _ . It only pissed Yeosang off even more, and he raised the eyes he had kept on the ground to reveal a deep hatred and a strong wrath. “Oh I don't like this look one you very much baby boy, you better take it off right now.”

“Or what ? You'll kill me ? Joke's on you ...”

Yeosang raised his gun right in front of Joker's forehead, enjoying how he saw a very quick flash of fear dance in the man's eyes. Yeosang was wearing the same clothes he had when Hongjoong first came to him, meaning a white loose top and white shorts, and was naked feet. He didn't care about the sharp shreds on the ground and pushed Joker with the threat of his gun out of the cell until they were standing in the middle of the room, right between his bared cell and the double doors.

“You shouldn't do that baby,” all of Joker's men finally took actions when they saw their Boss in a hard position, all their guns pointed at Yeosang, and even if half of them were idiots who probably learned how to shoot in a kinder-garden, the blond knew that some of them were actually from Joker's close protection squad, and  _ they _ wouldn't miss him. 

Joker held a hand in the air though, asking them to stay calm.

“What got into you darling ? Did saving the world gave you a big head ? You think you can go off without me ?”

“I don't think so, I know so. You never cared, the only thing you saw in me wasn't a partner, not even a sidekick, you only saw an object, one you could bend to your will, a toy you could play with until you got  _ bored  _ ! That's why you didn't came for me,  **say it** !”

Joker opened his mouth to say something but they were all surprised by a loud explosion coming right from behind the green-haired, and they all had a hiding-your-head-in-your-shoulders-like-a-turtle sort of reflex until the dust rose and they saw two figures. Yeosang had lonely tears in his eyes but they fell freely when he saw a familiar friend behind the doors.

“Wooyoung,” he breathed out, and he felt even more relieved when he saw Seonghwa next to him.

“Cupcake !” Wooyoung had puppeted some of Joker's men and when he saw that, the green-haired furrowed his brows in confusion.

“What the fuck-”

“Your men are mine Joker, step away from Yeosang or I'll turn more of them,” warned Wooyoung stepping forwards.

Joker didn't react, only turned to the rest of his men and threw his arms in the air :

“The fuck are you waiting for ?! Kill 'em !”

“No ! Wooyoung !”

Seonghwa was quicker and rose an ice wall, all the bullets stopped by the ice, but Yeosang had gotten his guard down and lowered his gun, the Joker seeing an opportunity and wrapping slender fingers around Yeosang's throat, the other hand grabbing his waist.

“You are mine, Kangley, and if you think you can escape you made a big mistake. I will never let you go !”

Yeosang was terrified, he sort of made himself ready in case a situation like this happened, it wasn't the first time that Joker got his hands on his throat like this after all, but it was the first time Yeosang wasn't ready to let him kill him. He wanted to live, he wanted to keep being a bitch and he wanted to run from rooftops to rooftops with Jongho running after his ass and trying to lecture him, he wanted endless nights having sex with the stars in the background and most importantly, he wanted to love, and be loved, really, for the first time in his life.

But he was tired of fighting alone ...

“Joker ! That smell, something weird is going on !”

Saying Wooyoung was pissed was an understatement. He loathed of wrath, sweat of anger and stunk of death. At least in Seonghwa's opinion from his point of view standing right next to the lilac-haired. His eyes had gone neon green, and his body was letting out more toxin than ever. Joker was, like Seonghwa, immune to his toxin because of all the chemicals he had been thrown in, but his men weren't.

Yeosang wasn't fighting alone. Not anymore.

“Put on your masks idiots ! He's trying to poison you !”

“Masks on !” many of the men said but it was too late for half of them. Half of them was enough for Wooyoung, especially with Seonghwa making them sort of ice protections that blocked bullets. Fascinated, Joker watched as his own men's eyes turned green and empty, and they all turned to him, guns ready.

“Kill those of you who are manipulated,” he ordered coldly.

“Kill the Joker, and make sure to not harm Yeosang,” ordered Wooyoung in parallel from where he was standing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't get me wrong, the Joker and Harley Quinn are two of my favorite DC characters, but separately. Together, I loath for Joker's abusive behavior on Harley and for her submissive one. When seperated, I love them ! But together no, I really don't like the toxicity of this relationship and I don't get how people can. It's nothing romantic. Joker tried to kill Harley many time, he makes the worst of her come out and in some comics, she even killed children, in another one she had to disappear because she was pregnant and knew that Joker would probably try to kill her and/or the baby, there's nothing romantic about Joker and Harley's relationship. That's why I love them, but not when they're together. Writing this last part is so carthatic ^^'


	12. Episode 11, episode final

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, a little 7k chapter to finish this fiction ! I have four tiny epilogues that I will publish in the following days, so stay tuned, but oh my god another fiction I finish and it makes me want to cry ... I've been so happy doing this, and it only increased when I started having your feedbacks, comments and kudos, to see how many person followed it and liked it really helps an author to keep writing and write better chapters !  
> For those who discovered me with this fiction I already wrote another one, a 22 chapters fiction, Pirate of the Caribbeans AU, and if you want to read more of me I have currently planned a X-Men / New Mutant AU, that I sarted to write but won't be published yet as school starts soon for me and I won't have as much time to write man chapters in advance. (I am saying all of this now so you can read the epilogues unbothered by me lmao.)
> 
> Quick thing too, I had forgotten to precise it in yesterday's chapter, but the Joker I physically inspired myself of is Block B U-Kwon's one ! 
> 
> So thank you so much to all of you, those you follow from the start, those you came after or even those who discovered it one it was finished, thanks to all for reading it enitrely, and maybe I'll see you next fiction !
> 
> Hope you'll like it,
> 
> Enjoy !

Needless to say that hell had risen from the depth of the earth to Ulleung. They were gunshots and body falling everywhere, with no possibility whatsoever to take cover, Yeosang and Joker were in the middle of the room, still connected by the older's hands choking the blond boy, not even caring about the many bullets flying around them. They knew they wouldn't get touched.

Seonghwa and Wooyoung were still hiding behind the ice wall set up by the former, and he leaned a hand against the surface, turning it see-through but still impenetrable. He had so stop Wooyoung from acting on impulse once they saw the scene in front of them.

“We have to help him !” said the lilac-haired, ripping his wrist off Seonghwa's grip.

“And we will, but we can't do any good dead. Bullets are flying all around, we risk way too much. We can't attack Joker directly because he's holding Yeosang, so let's focus on his minions first,” the fact that he could keep a cool head was really an advantage in this situation, and reluctantly Wooyoung agreed to listen to him.

“There's no plant close to me, so I'll have to play a different game,” he informed.

“Go on,” Seonghwa let him the white card, “Yeosang and I are immune anyway.”

“I just hope the others won't show up right in the middle of this,” sighed Wooyoung, falling on his knees with his palms on the ground.

Another heavy cloud of green smoke came from his body, but Seonghwa immediately knew it was different from his previous toxins. And indeed it was, because unlike the previous one that only turned Joker's men into puppets, this one was way much more violent : as soon as their skin got in contact with the green smoke, their veins turned green, their body seemed to gain muscular weight and foam was getting out of their mouth.

Seonghwa watched with widened eyes the men turning into mindless monsters, and a wave of intimidation washed through him.

“Dear God ... what did you do to them ?” he asked Wooyoung when the younger rose to his feet by his side. His lips had turned a deep green that looked almost black and his eyes were dangerous. They held something in them that made a shiver run down Seonghwa's spine.

“I only contaminated them with a little _venom_ of my making. Remember Bane ?”

The man that could become a giant monster by injecting to himself the TN-1 venom ? Yes, he did. Very well, as he even crossed path with him one night they were both on mayhem duty.

“You _made_ Bane ?!”

“More or less, he came to me when he needed something strong, I gave him what he asked, but of course kept the original formula.”

“That's why he always looked weaker after, he tried to reproduce it,” realized Seonghwa impressed.

Wooyoung winked at him and smirked : “In vain, as one of the ingredients is something only _I_ have. Anyway, less talking, more acting. We don't have one but several Banes and I want my best friend back !”

Joker's men had been close to thirty, and Wooyoung had managed to take twelve of them, leaving eighteen enemies to defeat. After the bullets exchange, he only had five puppets left while Joker's men were ten. But things were about to change in their favor.

Seonghwa knew he couldn't do much right now but still tried to freeze the room as much as he could without stepping in Wooyoung's way.

Meanwhile Yeosang could only observe from the corners of his eyes, dealing with more pressing matters.

“What happened out there, you met someone ?! Mh, is that it ?!” yelled Joker, shaking him and making him gasp.

“I don't need anyone to realize you're a piece of shit !” snapped Yeosang.

“Oh come on who are you trying to impress ?! We both know you hang to me because you're a desperate slut who needs attention, you can't leave me !”

“I can, and I will,” he tried to fight back, and kicked Joker right between his legs, making the other hiss and let go off his neck.

Yeosang stumbled back and almost fell but Joker caught him again by the arms, and knocked the blond with his gun on the temple. Dark spots danced in front of his eyes while he blinked several times, trying to stand up again but the hit had been powerful and even if he didn't feel like he had a concussion, he still felt pretty stunned.

“You will come back with me and be my harlequin, whether you want it or not.”

At this time, Wooyoung had turned the puppet Joker men in Banes and has them rushing to kill the rest of Joker's team. Yeosang also chose this moment to strike back.

“You think I'm just a doll, pink and light. One you can arrange any way you like,” as he said those words, he had gotten back to his feet, and was slowly fighting Joker's pressure on his arms. “You are wrong. What you think of me is only a ghost of time. I am dangerous. And I will show you just how dark I can be.”

If only Joker had known what kind of monster he'd unleash when he decided to turn Yeosang into his toy. He would've probably backed down, or made a different decision. Now he could only watch, as the blond's previously terrified light blue eyes had turned into dark navy ones, like a sea during a storm, and it was beautiful to watch. His beauty had always been a spectacle to watch. Deadly, now he could see it, but beautiful.

Yeosang moved his arms around and wedging his forearms on Joker's elbow he gave a quick and abrupt blow, freeing himself from the painful grip that had left deep mark on his porcelain skin. He backed down only slightly so he could give a high kick to Joker's shoulder, causing the man to stumble. Yeosang wasn't done, he wasn't even close to be done. He kicked Joker in the stomach with his knee, then in the nose, hearing a satisfying breaking noise, then moved around to swipe him off his feet. A loud thump followed the moment Joker's body hit the ground, and now on his back, face bloody from the noise to the chin, wide eyes looking up at Yeosang, the blond felt powerful.

Wooyoung and Seonghwa had seen from afar, completely disturbed by the sudden rebellion, but now that Joker was in the worst position possible, they moved from behind the ice wall, Seonghwa freezing the last men remaining and Wooyoung's Banes breaking the ice statues and killing them.

Joker looked at Wooyoung as if he was trying to remember from where he recognized him. Then his brows shot up :

“I've connected the dots.”

“You didn't connect shit,” spit Yeosang.

“I've connected them. Jung Wooyoung, Poison Wisteria. Of course. What a fool I was, I should have connected the dots a long time ago. You knew him from High School.”

“You never cared about me, how could you have guessed that my High School best friend had been turned into a killing plant by his ex,” snapped Yeosang again.

“Stop speaking nonsense Kangely. I understand, you're angry at me, we don't have to let this break us apart ! I am ready to forgive you if you stop right now !”

Yeosang placed one foot on each side of Joker's torso, the later swallowing a big lump in his throat. With tears in his eyes Yeosang once more raised his guns in the other's head's direction. He took the security off, showing Joker how serious he was about all of this, his hand was steady, and only his tears betrayed his inner turmoil. It's not like he had never killed anyone in his life, unfortunately, he had. But unlike Joker, he had never killed anyone with a gun. He had shot people and hurt them, but that was it. Making buildings explode, or trains, wasn't the same thing as killing someone you had right in front of your face like he did right now.

“You won't kill me Kangley, you don't have the balls-”

A gunshot cut him and next thing he knew, a whole piece of his ear was missing and blood was running down his head.

“Wanna test that theory ?” his voice had cracked at the end, dammit.

He knew Seonghwa and Wooyoung were watching, he knew his best friend wanted him to get rid of the Joker but probably not this way. A quick look at him and he guessed he was right : Wooyoung was looking at him with furrowed brows and worried eyes, while Seonghwa's cold gaze could've frozen Joker from the inside out if the man's attention wasn't on Yeosang.

The blond took a deep breath, and felt he was ready to do it. He didn't have any other choice. Maybe they'd let him out sooner if he got rid of the Seoul's Dark Prince. He wouldn't have to leave in the fear that the man would come for him at any moment. Then he thought about Jongho. Of what he had understood, Jongho never had to kill anyone, even if he had to run and probably beat up a few people along the way, but he hadn't kill. What would he think about this scene ?

A loud explosion clearing the rest of the already destroyed wall made them jump, all except for Yeosang, who didn't waver even when a cloud of smoke got to him. Wooyoung immediately cut off the effect of the venom, just in case it was one of their friends, and Seonghwa froze the air to destroy every toxic particle that could be left. Turns out the lilac-haired's impression was the good one.

Jongho and San, alongside a dozen military soldiers came through the breaks, and all stopped upon seeing the scene in display in front of them. San rose a hand up to stop the soldiers from acting and let Jongho handle it.

“Yeosang, don't !”

The blond let out a breath he had no idea he was holding when he heard Jongho. He closed his eyes for seconds before opening them and his hand started to shake, something that didn't go unnoticed by the Joker.

“Oh I see ... So I was right, you did meet someone.”

Yeosang's eyes were still hard, the tears gathered in his eyes but not fallen yet.

“You don't know what you're talking about.”

“Yeosang, put your gun down, he won't do anything anymore,” said Jongho, not even caring about walking cautiously to the armed blond. He still kept a security distance, not for him but for Yeosang, and waited.

“You don't know him like I do Jongho, he- after everything he did to me !”

“I know. I know Yeo, but you can't let it get the best of you. That's not who you are,” assured the youngest.

“Oh please you're going to make me vomit !” spit Joker. “It's exactly who he is ! He took lives, he's no saint ! Don' let him fool you like I was fooled by his pretty face !”

“Shut up !” roared Yeosang.

“I know who he is way better than you do,” bit back Jongho, looking at the man for the first time.

The man who had hurt Yeosang, who had turned him into a mad tool he could use at his wants.

“Do you now ?!” laughed Joker, unimpressed. “You're a kid ! A hero ! What can you know about him ?! Don't idolize him, you'll be disappointed.”

“I told you,” repeated Jongho. “I know who he is, and he is not what you made him believe. Yeosang, you know it, you're not what he made of you. You chose to let him do it, but deep down, it's not who you are.”

“I know you better than you know yourself,” Joker had gone back to taking to Yeosang. “I _made_ you, you owe me your life !”

“I don't owe you shit ! How many times did I save your ass ?! _You_ owe _me_!”

“Kill me then, go on ! You're the one with the finger on the trigger, pull it Kangley !”

“Don't call me that.”

“Yeosang you're worth more than this don't let him tell you what you are.”

“Isn't it what you are doing though kiddo ?” joked the green-haired. “You think you know him, but I repeat, _do you_? You see his beauty, his charms, you see his tainted soul from the outside,” Joker ticked a few times. “Everything he does comes from within, from some dark impulse. I guess that's what makes him so thrilling to watch ! So dangerous, indeed. Perfect at times, but oh so destructive.”

“You made him that way,” defend Jongho.

“If that's what you think, than you're even more stupid than I thought ! You truly understands nothing to him ! You can't fake, or make madness buddy. I didn't made that. I only ... unleashed it.”

One unique tear fell from Yeosang's eye and fell on his cheek. Yunho and Mingi came from the destroyed door behind Seonghwa and Wooyoung and stopped in misunderstanding to the scene.

“I'm sorry Jongho, I'm-”

The blond took a few steps back and once he wasn't standing above Joker anymore, he fell to his knees, crying warmly but the arm holding the gun still up and directed at the Clown Prince.

“You're weak,” the later spat, sitting down. “I'm disappointed but not surprised, you never were strong enough for all of this. Guys !”

San felt it before it happened. All the soldiers' energy behind him switched and he snapped his head on the side, turning into Enchantress right before a gun was fired in his direction.

“San !” screamed Wooyoung.

The black-haired was fine, the bullet stopping right next to him, and he turned dark green eyes to the soldier who had fired and threw the bullet back at him, killing him on the spot. He took a quick look at all of the others and after understanding the situation, disappeared in black smoke to appear in front of Wooyoung and Seonghwa again.

“They're with Joker !” called Mingi.

“We saw a chopper arrived and we thought you'd be in there with them but then you weren't an we understood you had been double-crossed !” informed Yunho.

Behind him and Mingi stood the real military force that was suppose to come with Jongho and San, but Joker had been well prepared. It was nothing but another rain of bullets afterwards.

Jongho had found a shelter behind Yeosang's cell - behind the espresso machine actually - and Seonghwa had thrown a wall of ice in the men's direction, splitting them and killing three out of fifteen at the same time.

Yeosang was stunned by the change of situation but still rose to his feet when he saw Joker doing the same, his bent arm shaking from emotion. Mingi had joined Seonghwa and together they sent sort of thermostatic bombs and letting Yunho shoot down those who could've escaped. The military wasn't really useful, they were only five and they all got killed in the first few seconds, leaving it once more to the Suicide Squad to do it all. At some point, Seonghwa and Mingi had trouble working as their powers were too close and kept nullifying each other, being completely useless as well and making the eldest scream out of frustration and anger.

Wooyoung was working with San to manipulate the Banes, but they too were taken down, as they weren't invincible. Fortunately, one of the dead military soldier was near Wooyoung's hiding place and he snatched the body before it cooled down too much and kissed him on the lips. San turned to look at him and stood staring, mouth wide. Even Enchantress was a little stunned :

“Wooyoung !” She let him exclaim.

The lilac-haired pulled out with a satisfied smirk, and San could see that the black of his lips had spread on the dead man's lips, and everywhere around his mouth the skin had gotten green, and the veins black. The man's body started to waver a little, and a few seconds later, roots broke the ribs and buried themselves into the metallic ground, seeking earth.

“What did you do ?” asked Yunho out of curiosity while he was loading his gun again.

“My lips can be hypnotic or deadly. I switched from hypnotic to deadly. This man's body is vegetable, sort of. I kissed him, freed a seed into his throat that made its way to his heart and grew from human blood.”

“Did you just made a cannibal plant ?” Seonghwa asked in disbelief.

“I only make cannibal plants hyung.”

Wooyoung had a radiant smile and his eyes flashed neon green before a sudden noise got everyone's attention to the corrupted soldiers : a giant Venus fly-trap had jumped from the ground and caught four men at once.

“Holy shit !” cursed Yunho.

“Oh my God !” added San.

“Aren't they suppose to eat flies ?!” asked Mingi.

“Well with their size it's better if they eat men !” answered Seonghwa a hand on his hip and blowing on a stray lock in front of his eyes.

“Enough with the little house plant,” said Joker, taking a grenade out and throwing it in Wooyoung's plant.

“No don't !” tried Yeosang, but too late, the Venus closed its mouth and the plant exploded right after, sending blood and chlorophyll everywhere.

Wooyoung fell to his knees with hands grabbing at his head and a scream passing his lips.

“Wooyoung !” San and Yeosang's voice echoed each other, the blond furious.

“Asshole ! You already hurt me enough, don't touch him !” out of anger he shot a bullet that caught all of them off guard and touched Joker in the thigh.

“Son of a bitch ! You shot me !”

“You did worse to me,” spit back the blond, not one spark of regret in his eyes.

“Yeosang don't ! He's not worth it !”

“See, this is your real face !”

“This is what you made of me ! I was fine before you ! I was sane !”

“Oh but Kangley darling, sometimes the only way to stay sane is to go a little crazy, hm ? Isn't that what you said ?”

Yeosang had lowered his arms but after this, his blood ran cold and he lifted it again, eyes crying but not one once of hesitation or regret in them. He was ready, he would kill the Joker, he didn't care if the five men left took him down, at least he would be free, he would be free of everything and-

“Yeosang.”

A gentle hand took his wrist, a thumb soothing circles on the pale skin. Another one brushed against his waist and stood there, respectful, considerate but not overwhelming. Jongho stood by his side, not caring that at any moment he could be taken down by Joker or one of his men either.

“Please, don't.”

The blond closed his eyes, knowing that if he looked at Jongho's, he'd go weak. But the gentle hand that was holding his wrist moved to his chin, and turned his head in the youngest's direction.

Joker raised a hand, the bullets stop, the Suicide Squad stood on its guard but relaxed too, and they all watched. The Prince of Seoul's underground had dark eyes, and his brow twitched when he saw the gentleness with which Jongho treated Yeosang.

“You don't want to do this.”

“I don't have a choice, i-if I don't, he'll kill me J-Jongho.”

“No, no he won't. You'll be safe. You'll make sure to go away, and you'll be safe. He won't come after you, he doesn't love you, remember ?” it hurt to hear it, but damn it felt good too. It felt good because it came from someone who didn't just throw the information at him. It came from someone who wanted to catch him once he'd be ready to fall.

Joker saw it too. He felt it, the tension between the two was so thick you could swim in it. The last nerve of his patience snapped when he saw Yeosang lowering his gun at Jongho's words. He took his own out, while no one was looking at him. No one but Yunho, who watched with furrowed brows. He tried to shoot Joker but his gun was empty, and he cursed, looking for a loader.

“If I can't have you Kangley darling, then no one can.”

They all heard the shot. They all jumped and Wooyoung gasped in horror from his place on the ground, shoving San away to see better. They all saw Yeosang and Jongho's eyes widened as they stared deep in each other's eyes, and they all saw when they both lowered their eyes to look at Yeosang's chest.

A hole, and a deep red that was spreading all over his white top, a few drops falling to his stomach quickly. Yeosang raised a hand at Jongho's cheek but his fingertips could only graze the skin before his knees gave up under him, and he collapsed, held back and slowed down by Jongho's arms around him.

Joker watched coldly at the scene from afar, Yunho felt a wave of guilt rush over him as he held Mingi back from doing something stupid, Seonghwa's eyes had widened and he was too stunned to realized what was going on, San only had eyes for Wooyoung and Wooyoung ...

His high pitched scream could've ashamed Jongho's powers, but everyone felt the pain and the fear. They also felt how Ulleung Island shook beneath their feet, exactly the same way Jeju had under Halmang's powers, before trees, roots, ivies, every plant that waited deep under the concrete of the Detention Center shot up in Joker's direction and his men, and took down the whole building. The walls, the ceiling, everything crashed as the plants destroyed the foundations, Wooyoung unaware of his doings panting heavily with eyes devoid off an iris, completely in trance.

San fell to his knees in front of him and tried to shake him awake, seeing how critical the situation was going, but he had to give up in order to protect them, Jongho and Yeosang included from the debris falling all around them. Seonghwa helped him by creating a dome around them, and one around the two that were further, and walked to Wooyoung, taking San's previous place in front of the younger.

“Wooyoung that's enough,” he ordered gently, hands grabbing Wooyoung's hand and freezing his skin barely enough to wake him up. The two shouldn't touch, they knew it was dangerous for the lilac-haired, but when the later came back to him, only to stare numbly at Seonghwa with black tears falling down his cheeks soundlessly, the eldest let him find comfort into his arms.

“Y-Yeosang,” whispered Wooyoung, and Seonghwa let him wrap his arms around his body, himself placing one hand in the younger's hair and one around his shoulders.

Jongho couldn't believe it. It had been nothing like in a movie, when the bullet seems to fly in slow motion and leaves enough time for someone to interfere. No it had been fast. One second Yeosang was standing, the other he wasn't.

The bullet had gone through, leaving a deep hole in the blond's rib cage, and so much blood that it made a pool under Jongho's legs, not that he cared. The only thing the younger cared about right now was the unsteady eyes of Yeosang, how his breath whistled and his brows kept moving due to the pain.

“Yeosang, hey Yeosang look at me, yes I'm here, Yeosang hey !”

“J-jongho ?”

“Don't speak, don't speak you'll make things worst !”

The dust and smoke had risen, Joker and his men were gone, and the seven of them were left alone, in the silence of death, Wooyoung's sobs coming from behind. He didn't know Yeosang was still alive - barely and not for long - but no one told him yet. They couldn't.

“Thank you,” whispered Yeosang, his eyes closing, and even by shaking him, calling his names, slapping his cheek gently Jongho couldn't stop this from happening.

“No, no Yeosang ! Call a medic, someone, anyone quick !”

They had already been called. Jongho knew that, he and San had made the call to Amanda to tell her something had happened at the Center, and they knew she was on her way. Seonghwa came forwards after Wooyoung had collapsed from the emotional shock in San's arms, only one who could help, even if he wasn't sure how he could. Jongho looked up at him with wet eyes, lost, like a child who didn't know what to do and it broke his heart. Damn Kim Hongjoong, he had made him soft. He kneeled and took Yeosang's hand, cold taking a hold of the boy's body.

“What are you doing- no no this is not-”

“Jongho,” cool and collected in any circumstances. “If I freeze the wound, there's a risk his heart might stop. If I cool him down enough to slow down the heart's pumping and so the blood loss, he might live, but he lost a lot of blood already, and as we don't know what is his blood type-”

“A+.”

They all turned to see Wooyoung still knocked out but conscious and eyes looking at Seonghwa.

“His blood type is A+, so am I. I wish I could give him but-” but his blood was toxic, even for Yeosang. Seonghwa was O+, universal giver, but his blood would be toxic for Yeosang too ...

It only made the lilac-haired feel even worst, but somehow luck was on their side.

“I am A+ too !” Yunho ran to Seonghwa. “I can give him blood, what do you need me to do ?”

“We need to find medical material if we can. Two needles and a tub will be enough, it's not like we can do much more ...”

“There's a nursery down the hall, elevator's side,” informed Wooyoung.

Mingi, San and Yunho immediately ran off to search in the remaining of the destroyed building. They all came back barely five minutes after, and San had even gotten his hand on cottons and disinfectant. Before taking the needles from Mingi's hands, Seonghwa told him :

“Sterilize them please,” he was the only one with a little bit of medical knowledge here, as he had studied in medical school for a few months before he switch to study thermal changes, and he knew that with how cold his hands were, he shouldn't transfer any bacteria to them so screw the gloves

“Are you sure there is nothing you have to tell us about ?” he asked Yunho as he cleaned the inside of his elbows.

“Like what ?”

“You can't have diabetes we would've noticed, but no deficiency, no excess ?”

“No, I'm in perfect health,” assured Yunho dead serious.

Seonghwa nodded and asked : “Does anyone have anything I can use as a tourniquet ?”

Mingi ripped his tank top apart and gave the two pieces if clothes to the eldest who immediately used them on the boys.

“Okay, you probably know already but this is going to sting a little,” he connected the small tube to the first transfusion needle, and carefully with controlled movement, stung Yunho. The later winced, but it was nothing he had never done before, he just needed to get use to the feeling. Seonghwa did the same for Yeosang, cleaning the inside of his elbow, but then waited for Yunho's blood to run down the tube a little before he stung. One piece of wall had landed very close to them and he told Yunho to go sit on it so his arm would be higher than Yeosang's. The blond wasn't saved yet, but if this could be useful, maybe he had a chance, the only thing they could now was wait.

But as the pressure fell back, San seemed to remember something and cursed.

“Oh shit ! I forgot we had an important package on the chopper !”

“An important package ? Are you sure it's not filled with holes now considering how crazy in was on the landing area ?” asked Mingi, taking one of Yunho's hands.

San turned as white as a sheet and stuttered.

“I really hope it's not-”

“San ? What happened here ?”

_People really needed to stop making interruptions like this_ , cursed Mingi after jumping a nth time.

Wooyoung had moved closer to Yeosang, pushing Seonghwa away a little, but it didn't matter for the elder because between the debris, Hongjoong was standing, a little confused by everything he was seeing but alive and well. His skin that had gotten back to its well known honey tone but had paled a little, not as white as Seonghwa's though. On the other hand his hair was still as white as snow, and his eyes golden dark with a red circle in the middle, and on the skin around them, it looked as if he had red eyeshadow after a very long night.

“Hyung ! You got out of your pod !” San seemed surprised.

“It wasn't hard, you know these can't hold me,” smiled Hongjoong.

He looked the same but there was still something different in him, in the way he expressed himself, in the way he moved.

“Wait your bracelets-”

Hongjoong raised his wrists and showed two heavy metallic bracelets that actually looked the same as the very big choker he had around his neck. There was a little screen that showed the temperature of the man's body and it was close to absolute zero. The scientists of the group knew that for something like that, Hongjoong had probably dozens of needles in his skin between the bracelets and the choker. That couldn't look comfortable.

“Hongjoong,” whispered Seonghwa, standing up.

Hongjoong finally acknowledged everyone else in the room and just like Seonghwa, his eyes widened and his mouth hung open.

“Seonghwa !”

But unlike the eldest, he moved, and Seonghwa met him halfway, hugging each other as if there was no tomorrow. Once they parted Hongjoong was quick to take Seonghwa's head and slap their lips together in an innocent but intense kiss. To anyone exterior, it would've looked surreal. One couple was making out only a few meters away from a dying boy ... But it was their life, and they had to take the smallest tear of happiness that presented to them and suck everything out of it.

“Oh God Hongjoong, I was so worried, I didn't know if you had really survived, and then Waller told us you had changed but I couldn't believe that you had turned into a meta-human, I'm so sorry, I never wanted to do this to you, I only wanted to save you-”

“Seonghwa, breathe,” Hongjoong kissed him again but it was more desperate this time, especially from Seonghwa. “You saved my life and it's the only thing that matters. I changed yes, but I don't see this in a bad way. On the other hand, this feels like the opportunity to run away from my life.”

Distress flashed in Seonghwa's eyes.

“Don't leave me,” the vulnerability shocked Hongjoong. Seonghwa had come from a long way since they had meet a month ago. As if reading his thoughts the eldest laugh : “You did this to me, take responsibility”, he joked and Hongjoong could only smile, hands on the other's cheek.

“I'm not going anywhere without you Hwa. Where I go I want you to follow. I can't live without you. Because I don't want to but also because I can't. I'm not sure you know, but I can't live in normal temperature anymore, my body doesn't stand them. I heard the scientists that observed my evolution talk about how the possibility you could balance the temperature around me naturally, but quickly gave the idea up. I don't want to.”

Hongjoong stepped back a little and showed the bracelets.

“Take these off Hwa.”

“Hongjoong ... we have no idea if this will work or not. You could die because I'm not cold enough !”

“One, I don't think that can happen,” he laughed at Seonghwa's gaze,” and two doing things nobody ever heard of is kind of what we do, no ? I trust you.”

Seonghwa's hands grabbed the bracelets and slowly he took them off, doing the same for the necklace. Hongjoong let out a content sigh and moved his limbs around, closing his eyes and embracing the coldness coming from Seonghwa's body. The later could feel him absorb his cold to heal the little needles wounds, and he didn't care. If Hongjoong needed this to live, then he shall provide. When Mingi had told him about Hongjoong's new needs, he too had wondered if his own body temperature could be enough. He guessed he was right, and he couldn't feel better about it.

He inspected the smaller man and seemed to remember something :

“Your knee ! It was broken ! How are you walking right now ?”

“It healed in two weeks. Apparently my cells also work way better than humanly normal.”

“Way faster you mean, two weeks should be impossible,” grumbled San.

The two eldest boys linked hands and Hongjoong went to hug everyone. Mingi kept him in his arms a little longer, making sure to be very very hot, and a few tears even escaped his eyes. Hugging Yunho was more or less complicated and he completely let himself fall next to Wooyoung, the lilac-haired letting a careful head on the man's shoulder. Hongjoong was devastated to see Yeosang, and after the whole story had been told to him, they all could see the deep anger he would start to held for Joker.

“If I ever meet this man he's dead.”

“You can't kill him hyung,” said San.

“Why not ?”

“It's not what could be asked of you ...”

“San ... do you remember what we talked about ?”

San turned pale and opened his mouth but no sound came out. He only stared at his hyung, unsure and dumbfounded.

“You really want to go through with this ?” San's voice cracked and everyone worried.

“Through with that ? What's going on ?” asked Mingi upon seeing the silent conversation passing between the two men.

“I can't stay in Seoul San. It's too dangerous for me. We both know what the President will want do to with me, and I won't be their rat lab for the second time in my life. I want to be able to live too. I want to chose my future and fate. I don't deserve this San ...”

“I know but- you'll leave ?”

“It's not like if we'll never meet again ! I'll keep in touch with you, and we'll visit.”

Seonghwa and the others seemed to catch on and the platinum-haired breathed out :

“You want to run away.”

“Ya ! His knee is fixed but he still needs to be careful ! No running !” joked San, trying to hide his incoming tears.

That got everyone laughing but they had all understood.

“I want to. I can't stay here anymore, I need fresh air, _cold_ air,” confirmed Hongjoong. “I don't want to leave you all behind ...”

“Hyung, we understand. We'd probably do the same,” assured Yunho, Mingi nodding furiously.

“Hell, the only reasons _I_ 'm not doing it are lying in front of me and hugging me.”

San turned red at Wooyoung's words but smiled.

“They will come after us Hongjoong. We'll live like criminals, they'll hunt us,” warned Seonghwa to make sure Hongjoong was ready to do this.

“I know. I've been thinking about it for a month Hwa. I know what I want. And I want to be with you, hiding in wrecked buildings with holes in the walls that'll let us fall asleep looking at the stars.”

A few gagging noises could be heard and Hongjoong slapped Wooyoung on the arm playfully.

“You're so gross hyung,” laughed Yunho.

“I'm going to get cavities with all that sugar,” added San for good measure.

“Shut up problem children,” smiled Hongjoong.

“Never parental figure,” replied Jongho.

Hongjoong could see how hard he was gripping at Yeosang's hand and body, and he leaned a gentle hand on top of his.

“He'll be fine. I can feel it. It's faint, but there is still a body heat, and a pulse, and they're fighting to live. You won't lose him Jongho. But when you get him back, never let him go,” advised Hongjoong with a warm smile.

“Never hyung.”

They could hear from afar a few choppers and Hongjoong turned to Seonghwa. It was their time to go. Slowly the younger stood from the ground but before he could go back to Seonghwa Wooyoung grabbed his wrist.

“Hyung wait !”

He turned to see the lilac-haired with an open palm, a beautiful peach rose growing until it bloomed. He gently picked it up and gave it to Hongjoong. They both knew what would happen, but it was still amazing to see the rose freeze when the white-haired took it in between his fingers.

They smiled, brought a month back in their memories, when Wooyoung had first introduced Hongjoong to language flower.

“Admiration and gratitude ? I really deserve that from you ?” asked Hongjoong with a knowing smirk.

“You looked it up !” Wooyoung was surprised but also touched.

“Of course I did. I'm someone naturally curious.”

More footsteps approached, and Seonghwa started fidgeting.

“I will keep it in an ice box, once we're settled. Thank you Wooyoung. And to all of you, thank you for everything. Saving the world with you was the best thing I ever did,” they tried really hard to not cry because they were bad guys dammit. They couldn't be soft and shit like this.

Seonghwa took Hongjoong, hands, together they bent in front of the six others boys, and right before an army of military soldiers arrived, they were gone.

No one knows how they escaped, but one thing was sure, when Amanda Waller arrived to the place and saw them missing, she only shook her head and let out a disappointed sigh.

The next days happened in a blur.

The whole Detention Center had to be built again, and they had three criminals they needed behind bars. Yeosang had been transfered to Seoul's hospital but of course, was kept under surveillance after his operation, from which he had gotten alive and well. Unfortunately he was in a sort of coma, but Jongho knew it could've been worst, and he just wished Seonghwa was here so he could thank him. As Yunho, Mingi and Wooyoung couldn't be kept in a specialized Center anymore, San tried to get something out of Waller and the President, and succeeded. Wooyoung would be forced to stay on Jeju Island, that would become his new “prison”, while San - as a meta-human that couldn't fall for his tricks and charms thanks to Enchantress - would be assigned to his surveillance.

What fools they had been ... San had fallen for Wooyoung a long time ago, but they didn't needed to know that. After making sure that Yeosang was fine and that he would be updated about his condition daily, Wooyoung left for the Island with San, and saw his dream fulfilled.

Yunho and Mingi had managed to get into a similar situation. Instead of getting time off their prison sentence, the two boys were assigned to some minor jobs with the government's forces to clean their criminal records. It was of course easier for Mingi than for Yunho, the red-haired having doing only minor crimes his whole life.

Waller was a big help, and suggested that maybe he could do some good in the fire force. If at first the firemen and women were skeptical, they all changed their minds when Mingi saved three children from a burning building, getting out of the fire unharmed and with the children protected.

Yunho had a harder time ... He still had the urges to make money for his family, and knew that for him, a life as a good guy would probably be hard, but he was willing to try, for his brother, mother whom was finally agreeing to see him, and for Mingi.

Seonghwa and Hongjoong had truly disappeared, and even if the government was sure they hadn't left the country as they hadn't been noticed in airports, train stations or buses, they had no idea where they could be. They had tried everywhere, Seoul, Seonghwa's home town Jinju, Hongjoong's Anyang, but couldn't find them anywhere they could've found refuge in.

Jongho had been keeping himself busy with hero work to not think about Yeosang's state, but never missed his daily appointments at the hospital. He'd always go there, sit next to the blond's bed, take his hand and tell him about his day. Sometimes he also told him about his feelings, and how he missed him, but he tried to not do that too much, as he always ended up crying. Everyday Jongho feared that he'd come in an empty hospital room, only to be told Yeosang hadn't survived.

This fear got real three months after the incident at Ulleung. A nurse was leading Jongho through the familiar corridors but somehow, the youngest knew something was different, missing. He tried to not let it show to make sure the nurse wouldn't suspect anything, and the two officers who were as usual in front of Yeosang's door made a little recognition sign to Jongho. Everything seemed normal. But when they came in and saw the curtains of Yeosang's bed closed, Jongho didn't go to it immediately. Instead he went to the open window, that he was sure no one had opened, and saw a little paper tugged between the two panels.

The nurse's gasped behind him confirmed his thoughts and he took the paper before turning around, Yeosang's bed empty, undone and messy.

He looked down at the paper and smiled.

Pohang, Homigoj

I'll wait for you, don't be too long Jongie,

XOXO, 'sangie

He folded the paper and put it into his pocket, and when the police and military asked him later if he had found anything that could lead them to where Yeosang could be :

“No, I have no idea. We weren't that close y'know, I don't even know where he was born.”

And so nobody was surprised or suspicious when Jongho asked to be transfered to Pohang a few days after.


	13. 1 year later _ part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Changbin's Catwoman outfit reference : Batman Arkham City (Video Game)  
> Yeosang's outfit is my invention  
> Wooyoung's Poison Ivy outfit reference : Renaissance DC, Birds of Prey #11 (the suit doesn't have the same property though don't worry)

**Jongho and Yeosang**

Jongho was called to Pohang's principal bank after the alarm of the vault had been set off. He was not really surprised to see no evidence that someone had been inside of the vault, with no trace of breaking and entering, and could really think of a bad joke if it wasn't for the completely empty secured room. The money, the jewels ... everything had been taken.

“Do you have any idea who could've done this ? It's the second time this week ...” asked the responsible of Pohang's police department.

_Of course he did_ .

“I can't think of anyone. They always leave evidence usually, and even if I have more material than you to help me ... I don't have anything here ... I'm sorry but I won't be able to do much. I'll keep patrolling around the secured streets every night. They look harmless though.”

“They do, but we can't let them rob the city !”

The two night guards that were suppose to monitor the vault's security couldn't remember anything, yet Jongho knew that when their blood analysis would come back, they would be traces of drugs. Pheromones to be more precise, but he would keep that to himself.

He tried to hide the little smile on his face as he walked back to his car. It was the middle of the night, 1 am., and the tamed light gave the streets a cozy appearance. He knew the one person he was looking for wouldn't be on the streets, and so once he was settled on the driver's seat, he took his phone out and connecting it to his car, dialed a familiar number saved under  _Sangie_ . 

“ _Yes honey ?”_

“I just went to Pohang's city bank, guess what happened ?”

He smiled when he heard the little laughs of the three males he knew would be together, like every night since six months.

“ _What ?”_

“They were robbed. The guards couldn't remember shit about what happened, no evidence was left, but no money either. Or jewels. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, do you ?”

There really was no sharpness in his voice, only pure amusement.

“ _They were ?”_ a fake gasp made him chuckle. _“Boys did you hear the news ? Pohang's bank was just robbed !”_

“ _Oh no it's tragic !”_ he heard another familiar voice, and the grin on his face started to be painful. 

“ _You should probably come check us out Jongie, we're frightened by this news, you can't leave us alone.”_

“Funny it's exactly what I was thinking about,” Jongho pulled out and parked his car in front of a run-down flat with five floors, and a straight access to the roof by the emergency staircase. This time, the gasp he heard was real, and he chuckled, making his way to the roof quietly.

“ _Really ? Do you even know_ where we are ?”

He heard the last part in real life as he stepped onto the roof and saw three young men sitting at the edge on the other side of the building, backs turned to him.

“Oh I do.”

The three jumped and turned to see him standing tall and proud in his attire, still wearing his hero suit and makeup with his eyes masked of black.

“Jongie !”

Yeosang jumped from his place on the roof to join Jongho halfway and hug him, as if he hadn't seen him the same morning.

“Can you stop being so gross Yeo,” a third voice, still familiar but more recent this time, shot up in the night with a playful tone.

“Shut it kitty, your jealousy is showing !” bit back Yeosang with a grin.

“It's been years since he got laid, why are you surprise ?” a lilac-haired also stood up from the room, laughing loudly and dodging a golden necklace that was thrown in his way.

“Fuck you Wooyoung !”

“Sorry but I'm already taken my dear Changbin.”

Seo Changbin. When Jongho had joined Yeosang in his city, he wasn't surprise to meet Wooyoung again, but soon discovered that the two boys were actually from a hellish trio self-called Pohang City Sirens. Changbin was also a childhood friend of the two, but hadn't followed them when they had moved to study in Seoul, and had preferred to stay, helping his poor family the best he could. Jongho had really seen those three as soul-mates, because even separated by miles, they had all gotten into crimes at the same time of their lives. Changbin had been done of rich people rubbing poor people's nose in the dirt, and had decided to be a modern Robin Hood. Except he had taken the cat suit, and not the fox one like Disney had.

And so he became Catman. Very flexible, very good at hand to hand combat, and very  _sharp_ . His black latex suit did him justice, embracing all his shapes the good way and kissing his toned chest the best way possible. The zipper was only closed halfway to middle of his chest, showing a good part of skin and muscles, his large neck decorated by a thick black choker from which hanged a little bell in the shape of a cat's head. He had straps on the sides of his suit, gloves on which he had mounted claws, and a whip hanged lazily from his waist. His black hair were hidden under a sort of black helmet with cat ears, and he had orange goggles that were actually more electronic than they seemed. Simple ranger boots completed the outfit, but really, even next to Wooyoung and Yeosang, Changbin had nothing to be jealous of. 

Speaking of Yeosang, the man had changed all his outfits since he had escaped Joker and had started a new life. He had a red sleeveless top that closed on the front like a kimono, held together by a thick black leather belt on which were four white harlequin patterned diamond, black leggings that shaped his legs finely with one stripe of red diamond on each side of his legs. White boots with one red heel and one black heel, straps on his biceps, fishnet gloves and a thick white velvet choker with the silver letter J on it. But now, the J didn't stand for Joker anymore. It stood for Jongho. The youngest had been against it but Yeosang had reminded him that the deep affection and attachment he could have for people were a part of his mental illness, and that it would help him to feel like he belonged to someone, like an object, even if it wasn't the case in reality. Jongho had no words to say to that and even smiled sometimes when he saw the J hanging from Yeosan'gs neck, especially when the blond was a moaning and sweating mess under him. He had changed his blue and pink locks back to red and black ones, keeping his colors despite his change of life. The tattoos with Joker's name on them had been replaced by a beautiful dragon he had asked a friend of his to do. 

He had to make a name for him again, even if laying low to not have too much intention on himself, and started going by simply Harlequin. It would be easy to connect Kangley Quinn to this new alias, but he didn't care. He was a Harlequin, but he was no one's harlequin.

Wooyoung had stayed the same. The slight change in his “suit” if it could be called that was now he actually had a black suit underneath the ivies wrapped around his body. Maybe because it was close to winter, Jongho didn't know and didn't care.

The three looked at Jongho with expectations, and the youngest sighed :

“You know I'm not going to do anything about you three little thieves,” cheers were heard but he shushed them, “but you have to calm down ! It's twice this week, you weren't as productive before and it's starting to raise attention ! Especially you Wooyoung, the guards will notice you've gone missing on Jeju.”

“No they won't, San has my back !”

“Speaking of which, isn't time for you to go back to him ?” asked Changbin, the one the most interest in the jewels.

Jongho had noticed a pattern : they would always steal money and jewels. The formers were Yeosang's focus, as he needed some to pay the rent with Jongho, buy new (lethal) toys like the giant wooden mallet he could see behind the blond, and Wooyoung would only join for the thrill, and a good boys' night. He didn't care for money or goods, he had all he needed back with San.

“Ah, you're right,” he said, checking the cat's watch. “Well time for me to go. I'll see you tomorrow !” he threw over his shoulder before disappearing in the night, jumping on another roof.

“Tomorrow ?” Yeosang, still in Jongho's arms, turned confused eyes at him. “Why tomorrow ?”

“For the hyungs Sangie.”

“Oh ! Aren't they suppose to come this weekend though ?!”

“We're Friday Yeosang,” sighed Changbin.

“My bad,” laughed his blond friend.

The three seated on the roof and spoke for a good hour before Changbin started to seriously yawn, and then they parted. They were actually on the black-haired's building, so Yeosang and Jongho had to take the younger's car to go back to their complex. It wasn't the biggest, nor the smallest, but it was enough for them. A big leaving room, an open kitchen, bathroom and toilets separated, and their bedroom on the mezzanine.

Yeosang's first instinct was just to drop everything once he entered the house, and so several of his toys laid in between the couch and the coffee table, or even on the kitchen counter, a mix between baseball bats, mallets, hammers, guns, a few knives and Jongho had had a heart attack the first time he saw the grenade without the pin on laying there on the fridge.

So of course, Yeosang dropped the bag full of money on the couch, threw the mallet on the fluffy carpet and immediately went for the bedroom.

“Not so fast,” said Jongho, catching him by the wrist and pulling him into the bathroom.

He ran a bath for the older, a habit he took ever since he started to pick Yeosang up after his nocturnal activities, while he just had to change into more comfortable clothes, taking his make-up off. Yeosang cleaned himself but then lazily stood around with the towel wrapped around his shoulders and hiding enough to not rile up Jongho's tired self, the later plopping the blond on the bathroom sink to have him at eye level.

“You know I can do it,” smiled Yeosang when Jongho took a cotton full of make-up remover.

“I do, but you never do it so someone has to,” he smiled back.

Yeosang let him take off the black and red make-up, as gentle as he had been the first time, and then he was left alone to change into his pajamas. Putting them one, the blond couldn't help but think he had a lucky star somewhere.

The bullet wound should have killed him. Yet, as he watched in the mirror the scar between his pecs Jongho had kissed right before disappearing, he brushed gentle fingers to remember it had failed to its duty. He had survived. And for six months he had laid low. When Jongho found him he was leaving with Changbin, but he had been a mess. He was constantly scared of leaving the apartment, always sure Joker would be waiting for him at a corner. The near-death experience had been more violent this time and Jongho had forced him to go see a therapist at least for this. Ironically, it had worked. He had even went back to working part time in a mental hospital with minor diseases to make sure he wouldn't trigger anything too violent again.

Yeosang had moved in with Jongho during the seventh month, and since then, the younger's apartment didn't look like a hero's apartment anymore. He didn't care. It looked like Yeosang. Yeosang was all that mattered.

The blond dressed only in underwear and a loose shirt he had stolen to Jongho, and made his way to their bed slowly. Jongho was waiting for him, only his night lamp on, the sheets on his side of the bed opened for him. The younger was checking something on his phone and he didn't see Yeosang right away, but when he did, he put down his phone and opened his arms for the blond to come in.

He didn't need to be asked twice, and plopped himself in the warm comfort and safety of his lover's arms.

“Jongho ?” he called in a whisper. The light was switched off.

“Yes ?”

“Have I told you thank you ?”

“Everyday Sangie,” he could the smile in the other's voice. “Have I told you I love you ?”

“Every day Jongie,” and they fell asleep like that.


	14. 1 year later _ part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for tiny smut, this epilogue chapter is smaller sorry, there wasn't much to say.

**Wooyoung and San**

San was patiently waiting for the younger to come back. Pohang wasn't next door, but it wasn't Seoul either, and so he knew Wooyoung wouldn't be here before at least half past 2. He watched through the window of their little wood house the starry night, moon high and shiny in the dark sea of the sky. Only a green land could be seen when he lowered his gaze, but he knew that right behind the house, a greenhouse - made of glass - that would make jealous the best botanists was standing tall and proud. They had their little vegetable garden right under their kitchen's window, and knew that he'd need to enchant them before winter struck too hard.

As he waited, he thought about the passing year. Wooyoung was hard to kept contained, and so he didn't try to do so. He only interfered in the man's impulsion when those started to be dangerous for the population beyond the Island. The first three months, they had been cameras, and guards displayed all around the Island's perimeter. After seven months, San had managed to negotiate the fall back of these guards. The cameras were only gone since two months, but as soon as they all had, Wooyoung's behavior had drastically relaxed. He felt less like a prey and more free, like he wanted, and it showed with how well flowers and trees had grown back in the area. He made the Island his territory, making it come back to life the same way he did by San's side.

San walked around the kitchen, took a hot cup of chocolate and a blanket, and settled in their couch. They had a pied-a-Terre, that really gave a sort of lost-in-the-woods-Canadian-house vibe and was perfect for their needs. Cool in summer, warm in winter, they had a thermostat they could regulate to Wooyoung's ideal temperature, more than once making San angry because the lilac-haired didn't want him to be too hot or too cold and often cheated on the good temperature. He did it less nowadays, but it had taken a long time before he stopped.

Their little house had the front door directly in the living room, and right in front of it was the back door. The living room was on the right, with the little closed kitchen, and their night wing was on the left, a narrowed corridor leading to their bedroom and their bathroom in which the toilets were included. In the kitchen was also the door leading to the indoor greenhouse, with the plants that needed the most a hot and dry air.

They had many books, San especially but Wooyoung borrowed a few from time to time. They also had a TV they barely used, only for movies and shows, never for the news. They both had agreed that they didn't care about how the rest of the world was going. Furthermore, Wooyoung was often outside to visit Yeosang and Changbin, and he always brought back home the most important news. San didn't left home often. Not because he couldn't, but he didn't mind staying in Jeju, even for the holidays. He didn't really have friends to visit anyway, but still had his little meetings with Jongho, Mingi and Yunho once a month. Wooyoung came with him after a while, not that he didn't want to see the boys in the first place, but it was still weird for him to not hate the people he had met after turning into Poison Wisteria.

San fell asleep waiting for the younger. He did that every time the other was out. And was always awakened by a gentle weight on his laps, and dangerous lips kissing his cheeks.

“Wooyoung,” he grumbled, arms shooting out of the burrito he had made with the blanket to wrap around the other's waist.

“Sorry Sannie, Jongho came to take Yeosang home again and we talked for a while.”

“How is he ? I didn't see him yet this month,” San was barely paying attention but he knew by Wooyoung's pheromones that the lilac-haired was in the mood for something that would ask him to be more awake. 

“He's fine,” and he was right, the words were whispered on his lips before those were covered by gentle and sweet ones.

_(smut)_

It took one second for San to crack, and an hour later, he was thrusting hard into Wooyoung on their bed, the younger's nails digging bloody crescents on his back but he couldn't care less. If Wooyoung fed on the sunlight, he fed on his moans and whines, that soon turned into screams when he found his prostate. Their clothes had been discarded in the corridor, the black suit mixing with comfortable clothes.

He changed the position and took the younger's legs to place them higher in his hip bones, and really dived between Wooyoung's flesh, his clenching walls making him roll his eyes. Wooyoung's head was thrown back and his mouth partly open to breath better, the cold air of the night barely a breath on their hot skin as they moved with the same familiar movements they had done thousands of times before.

Both of them always struggled with words. They were able to make a hundred words poem about their feelings for each other, without saying the word  _ love  _ or say  _ I love you  _ once. They never needed to. They always knew. That was how they showed their love. By Wooyoung leaving red roses in pots on the coffee table after an argument, or San taking care of his plants for a whole week. The tender gestures, the stolen kisses, the heated night like this now ... They craved for this type of love. It was theirs. They knew Yeosang tended to be completely at ease with giving himself up in love, Yunho and Mingi were in sharing and caring, totally opposite to them when it came to voice their love, and they could only guess how Seonghwa and Hongjoong were, having not seen them since this peculiar day at the Detention Center. 

“S-Sannie ah ! Too far- please,” San lowered his eyes to see Wooyoung's blown pupils, and he didn't need pheromones to be drawn to the man.

He leaned in until their chest touched and ripped another round of gasp and whine from the both of them and extended his arms until he could unlock Wooyoung's fingers from the edge of the mattress he had been grabbing until his knuckled turned white, and linked their hands together. The new position made it way easier for him to slide inside, Wooyoung's natural body fluids making it even smoother.

Wooyoung only needed a few thrusts before his body tensed and he came on his stomach, his cum more liquid and green that the one of a normal human being.

San came not long after too, into the condom Wooyoung had forced him to wear because he was tired and didn't want to have to clean himself for ages before going to bed.

_(end of smut)_

A last whine when he pulled out, and then he collapsed next to the lilac-haired, tossed the condom into the trash bin next to the bed, and took time to collect himself. He was sweating, panting, but damn he was floating. Wooyoung had the uncontrolled habit when he came to let out a toxin that had almost the same effect as weed, making San light-headed for a few seconds until the constantly opened window would take it away. Weirdly, it was the only one who had an effect on San. Wooyoung was always so satisfied by it. 

San turned his head to look at the younger and he was indeed smirking, but the insolent face turned into a soft one when he saw how weak the toxin made San. Emotionally weak. He'd always look at Wooyoung like if he held all the stars in the world, like if he was his most precious thing. Wooyoung often believed he was, no arrogance here, because sometimes, just sometimes, he could catch San looking at him this way, even when sober. And like every time that happened, Wooyoung took the thin sheet and covered them with it, a soft palm cupping San's cheek, and they kissed, tongue meeting for an open kiss softly, before they ended with just their lips moving around.

Neither opened their eyes when it was over, only leaning against each other's forehead, legs tangled under the sheets, and hands linked. Wooyoung was happy. He did not know a human could make him feel this way, but he was glad he let San in.

Tomorrow Seonghwa and Hongjoong would be there. they had managed to sent all of them a letter with coordinates they had figured out pretty easily, and they were all excited and eager to finally see their hyungs after such a long time. The letter didn't say much, enough to know it wasn't an emergency and that they were fine, but too little to actually know anything else. They hoped they'd know more about what they had been up too this last year, because as they all knew but never said, saving the world together had made them closer.


	15. 1 year later _ part 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING smut  
> (sorry I wanted to update all the epilogues before this weekend but I got caught in my preparation for university, I will update the last one next week but I don't know when sorry sorry)

**Yunho and Mingi**

There life was so quiet and gentle. The opposite of what they had grown to be used to for more than twenty years.

There were still a few times when old habits came back.

Mingi would lock himself in the bathroom for hours after an argument with Yunho, just because he had felt himself slowly lose control over his powers and had started to catch fire until the now brown-haired boy would tell him with widened eyes. Mingi would stay in the bathtub filled with water, only with his head coming out of it, for hours and hours. Yunho understood he needed that, but there was always a moment when he'd crack and break in the bathroom to get Mingi the fuck out of there. He'd hug his boyfriend, not caring about the wet clothes, and they'd stay like this until one of them apologized for the argument. It only happened twice. Yunho and Mingi were a quiet, all lovey-dovey couple, and the few times they had argue was for stupid stuff. Which is why the red-haired always felt the most terrible for his loss of control.

But there were also a few times when Yunho was the distressed one. They had to change apartment five times in seven months because the boy's old employees had kept track off him, and still tried to get him back into the business. He almost said yes, when his mother lost another job and his brother had to start working. He almost said yes when Mingi had started on line classes on the same subject Seonghwa had studied just so he could try and find a way to gain control again if he came to lost it. But Yunho never said yes again. Mingi was proud of him for that, and every time Yunho felt the itch to do something to help his family and bring them money, he'd remember he had this job at the military base close to their house where he taught the new soldiers how to shoot.

It had been a little surprise but a good one when Amanda Waller herself had proposed this solution when the Korean government had expressed their fear to see Yunho re-offend. It had been three months after the incident at Ulleung, when Yunho and Mingi had both been let out on probation : they couldn't leave the country or Seoul, had to report to the City council every week to make sure the rules had been respected, and the worst, they had little GPS trackers implanted in their wrist. Their first shared apartment had been everything but private. Soldiers came twice a month to check and see if they didn't hide any weapons, or didn't have any gang related contacts. It had taken five months for them to be trusted again, and now they only had the GPS trackers that were activated and would alert every authority in the country if they tried to leave South Korea. They could get out of Seoul though, and even if the situation didn't look like the best, for them it was much more then they could've authorized themselves to dream.

They were together in their little apartment that had the bedroom in the living room and the open kitchen in the same room, toilets near the front door and a small bathroom they quickly filled if they decided to go in together. It was small, but it was comfy and they wouldn't want it any other way. The neighborhood was friendly and quiet, no gang business, no violent attack or nothing else of the sort, a perfectly quiet and tames place for a new life. Busan had been their redemption. They were in the middle between Jongho and Yeosang, and San and Wooyoung, and they had San and Jongho coming at their places every month, sometimes with the two friends of chaos, sometimes not, depending on their moods, but they could almost feel like they had a normal life life for 22 years old. Working, having friends over, meeting family, running errands. Yet the numerous scars on each of their bodies stated otherwise, but they didn't feel like painful memories ; they felt like a closed time.

As Yunho slowly woke Mingi up by caressing the burn scars on his back, that's how it felt like. A closed time.

Mingi didn't like to sleep with much clothes one, and was only wearing a pair of underwear. Yunho had barely more with only a shirt and shorts, but at least his body wasn't as visible as his boyfriend.

“Mnh Yunho ?” stirred awake the red-haired. He was laying on his stomach, face buried in the pillow, and looked adorable with his red locks all over the place.

Yunho smiled fondly at him.

“Hey babe, you came back late last night,” Mingi had been gone for the week, needing a little time in Incheon to go on his family's grave. He had finally accepted that their deaths hadn't been entirely his fault, and had decided to mourn them properly.

“Sorry I arrived in Busan early but ...” he yawned and hid a little more in the pillow. “I just needed a little more time y'know ? Like ... not in Incheon but here.”

“I get it don't worry, you don't need to explain to me, as long as you were safe and nothing happened.”

Mingi turned on his side and blinked a few times. The curtain of the room was dark but the sun was high and it made them see in shades of gray and tained colors. It was a gentle sight to wake up too, Yunho with his brown hair messy and his opened eyes filled with love and adoration. It always made Mingi's heart skipped a few beats, even after all these months.

He made grabby hands at the older and made him chuckle, before he lowered himself and gently kissed him awake. Morning breaths wasn't the best, but it was fine with them. They were used to it. Yunho softly moved until the sheets weren't covering them past the knees anymore, and he broke the kiss, only to throw a leg over Mingi's hip - whom was now on his back - and settled there, kissing back again.

It was a morning kiss, but it soon changed to a hot making out session. Yunho always loved to feel Mingi's body heat up when he was turning him on, it felt so gratifying, even more when he knew the younger had no control over this little reaction. It was the innocent type of control, the ones Mingi allowed and enjoyed. Yunho always took the best out of it. But he'd need to be faster this morning :

“Yunho, baby, we have to go-”

“Shhh, we can enjoy a few more minutes the shops won't close until tonight,” shushed the brown-haired, kissing him more feverishly.

“Yunho, the hyungs are coming today,” reminded Mingi.

_(smut)_

Yunho felt very much with their position mini Mingi slowly coming to life, and he gave a little roll of his hip to prove his point, making his boyfriend gasp. He did it a few more times, happy to no hear more complaints, until of course Mingi found a way to :

“We have things to do Yun-”

“We'll do them after. Don't tell me you want to go grocery shopping with this monster in your pants ?~” he teased, grabbing Mingi's erection through his underwear.

The loud moan he received was enough. Mingi was right though, they wouldn't be able to do much, because with Seonghwa's and Hongjoong's arrival later in the day, they had to prepare their small apartment and fridge to be bale to host eight people, as the two other couple would also come and pass the weekend at their place. That's why they were suppose to wake up early on this Saturday morning, but of course, they didn't.

“Alright hurry up then”, cracked Mingi, one hand on the other's nape the other on his bicep, pulling him into another heated kiss.

Yunho obliged and slithered a hand in Mingi's underwear, taking a hold of his erected member immediately. He had fun teasing the younger man and ripping whines after whines by slowly jerking him off, sometimes stopping altogether to roll his thumb over Mingi's full of pre-cum tip, spearing it on the rest of his dick and making the slide easier. Mingi decided it wasn't fair to be the only one teased and grabbed Yunho's ass with both hands, jolting him forwards a little bit so their hips touched more and he could roll his hip against Yunho's clothed erection. After a few movements he managed to get rid off the offending piece of cloth, leaving Yunho with only a shirt but in a state similar than his. They both stopped teasing once they both had their hands on the other's member, preferring to finally get on with it than make it last longer. They jerked each other off at the same pace, movements fastening and becoming more sloppy by the minute.

It wasn't long until both felt the heat in their lower stomach, and without surprise because he was teased the longer, Mingi came first, Yunho's name falling of his lips in a whisper, while the older moaned loudly.

_(end of smut)_

They were both groggy and dirty, a little sticky even, but they chuckled a little, and Yunho even ignored their cum and laid on top of Mingi to press a lazy kiss against his lips.

“We have to move babe, we're already late and all we've done is waking up,” cut Mingi after a while.

“I like the way we wake up,” Yunho had a suggestive smile that made the red-haired laugh.

“Enough of this, let's go shower, yeah ?”

They finally got out of bed and started getting ready for their busy day.


	16. 1 year later _ part 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god it's the end. Here we are. I mean- I already talked about it before but this is really the end like, last chapter even if's just an epilogue. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this little story, the end of this chapter is a little special, there is one ending and then there's an 'extended' ending because I didn't know what to post so I felt like it should be your choice, so I gave you both, the extended ending is a little further down in italic so you can not read it if you want, I won't mind ^^'
> 
> I'm going to disappear for a bit because school started again, so I'll have less time to write so less time to have many chapters in avance when I post again. The nest fiction will be the X-Men/New Mutants AU, I'll probably be able to start posting it either for Halloween's hollidays, either for Christmas but there's no in between sorry :'( 
> 
> Hope this last chapter will be the closure you expected, 
> 
> Enjoy 
> 
> And bye bye !

**Seonghwa and Hongjoong**

It had been a year. As he woke up in their messy bed with only the sheets to cover his cold naked body, Hongjoong blinked his eyes open to the sky above them. The hole in their roof was the last of their worries, as people who were never cold, and Seonghwa had been more than willing to just follow Hongjoong wherever the younger wanted to go. He had fulfilled the boy's dream to have an open roof that would give him a sight of the stars at night, and that everywhere they went.

They had to change apartments a few times to make sure the government weren't on their tracks. They also had to move with the weather. They mostly stayed in the north for Hongjoong, but it did happen that they went a little south for a few weeks. It didn't last though, too hot for the white-haired.

He was laying on his back and turned to take a look at Seonghwa, whom was on his stomach, cheek squished against his pillow, mouth partly open to breath easier, and platinum hair all over the place. A gentle smile tugged his lips. Adorable. His little criminal. They had loved going around towns during the coldest winter days, only to make it even colder, finally letting their powers go free. They were only considered criminals because the government was looking for them, otherwise, Seonghwa had stopped trying to turn entire cities in ice rinks and Hongjoong never did anything illegal in his life.

Okay maybe they did stole a car and had the best road trip of their life  _ Thelma and Louise _ style, but that was it really ! They always made sure to find the most deserted places, the almost empty buildings and settled at the highest floor to not be found. Alright maybe they never paid rent and lived in those deserted places illegally, but really no one knew about it so technically, they weren't against the law, right ?

Hongjoong chuckled at that. If someone had told him two years ago that this would be his life, he wouldn't have believed it. He would've probably think the other person crazy. Yet, as he switch and moved to lay on his side, running cold knuckles against Seonghwa's cheek with more love in his eyes he could ever feel, he knew he didn't wish to be anywhere else right now.

“Hey darling,” lost in thoughts, he hadn't noticed Seonghwa's cerulean eyes opening. “You seem thoughtful.”

Hongjoong hummed quietly and moved to be slightly on the taller man, chin on his shoulder so their noses brushed against each other.

“You don't seem disturbed, so I'm going to guess you were thinking about something pleasant,” smiled tiredly the man.

It was just the simplest things, but damn did Seonghwa knew how to read Hongjoong like a book. The younger had been lost and very open their first few months, learning how to live with his new body and powers, telling everything of his worries and problems. As a couple, they kept doing that of course, but now, words weren't always necessary. Sometimes, just a glance, a frown, just a movement, and they could tell how the other was feeling. It would be truly fascinating for anyone observing them, but of course, they had no idea of this almost telepathic connection they had built over the year.

“If I tell you I was thinking about you ?” played Hongjoong, gently rubbing his nose against the taller man's.

Seonghwa chuckled a little at that and moved his arm from under his pillow to lean on Hongjoong's torso, hand grabbing his hipbone.

“I'll say that it does sound like something pleasant.”

They kissed, and like every time, it was cold, a little bit of frost covering their lips slightly while a tiny cloud of smoke escaped from between them. Their eyes closed and tenderly, they kissed each other _good morning_.

“Slept well ?”

“As always since we left,” answered truthfully the older. “You ?”

“Perfect too, the weather is getting warmer though, I can feel it.”

“It's been a year, maybe we can try and leave the country ?”

“Seonghwa ...”

“I know I know Hongjoong, but think about it. You and San both have an amazing accent and vocabulary in English, Mingi sucks and I'm not terrific myself, but we can learn.”

“Do you really think it's a good idea ?”

“I'm sure they'll say yes. They have their lives, but maybe we can start a new one. All together. During this year all I heard from you was your desire to see them again, and be able to _stay_ with them.”

“It was not satisfying to only watch them from afar, it felt like stalking them ...”

“... We were stalking them though.”

“Shut up ! It was not like that,” pouted Hongjoong, crossing his arms and turning on his side to try and show Seonghwa a cold shoulder (no pun intended). A cold kiss answered him, and cold arms lifted him and he was soon turned around, chin on Seonghwa's torso, arms crossed under his body while only the thin sheets separated their nakedness.

“I want this as much as you, but the choice is yours, do you want to ask them ? Hongjoong the worst they could say is no, and they won't do it feeling betrayed or anything. We know how they are.”

“I'm just scared ... Yunho has his brother and mother, Yeosang and Wooyoung have their cat-like friend ... so many of them can say no. If we loose Yunho, Yeosang and Wooyoung, we lose all of them-”

“We won't _loose_ them. Hongjoong look at me,” the first weeks of their relationship, Seonghwa had soon understood the younger was more than lacking of love, having been abducted and turned into a killing machine very young, and he was now craving for it more than he ever authorized himself to in his life. “We won't lose them. But not trying can make you lose the opportunity of your life ! You know you want this, let's try to make it real. And if they say no we'll still go, and in a year, we'll meet with them again. How does that sound ?”

“Unsatisfying and like a plan Z but I could work with that.”

Seonghwa smiled softly against Hongjoong's lips and ran his fingers up the man's spine, fingers brushing against a cold and tiny metal square on his nape. It was an implant Seonghwa worked on while they were hidden that works in coordination with one he had near his heart. It had been hard to work on it without having a proper lab like he had back at the University and it might had caused them a few nights of stealing in giant laboratories that probably wouldn't miss one or two things, but the ex student had insisted : this was important. He knew his own body heat was cold enough for Hongjoong's, but he was scared that anything could happen to him and separate them. The younger had said it was silly, that nothing would happen to any of them, but Seonghwa's personal experience plus the deep love he felt for Hongjoong were stronger. He worked on this device that connected both their body's temperature. Hongjoong's implant had a microchip connected to Seonghwa's phone, and would alert the later of any danger for the man's body. Seonghwa's implant was situated in the coldest part of his body and was connected to Hongjoong's implant and could cool down his body if Seonghwa couldn't do it by touching him. He really thought of everything and Hongjoong felt obligated to say yes at the man's puppy dog's eyes. They had it in them for four months now, and the platinum-haired had never felt more relaxed since they had left the Center.

Hongjoong must've known where his trail of thoughts was going because he quickly took Seonghwa's chin and brought their eyes on the same level.

“I'm fine, we're fine, you're right they won't shake it off like this. Now come on ! We have a long road 'til Busan !”

*

Approximately five hours or so later found them standing in front of Yunho's and Mingi's door. They were nervous and stressed, even more than this, their hearts were beating fast, and not only because they had something big to ask them, but also because it had been a year since they last saw them, and they truly hoped none of them were going to hold grudges.

The night hadn't really set, they had left the North of Seoul mid-day and so it was barely half past five in the evening.

Seonghwa turned to Hongjoong, they nodded to each other one last time, then he knocked. The door opened and six familiar faces plus an unknown one were visible and six voices called :

“Hyungs !”

_(extended ending)_

_The night had finally set, they had been talking for hours, all of them. As requested by them, Seonghwa and Hongjoong had met Changbin, and even if the boy was younger than Yeosang, he truly seemed like the older of the little trio._

_They had all updated each other on the different activities they had gone through over the year, the goal they had for the one to come and other random things like the Pohan City Siren's criminal activities, Mingi's studies than Seonghwa congratulated on strongly, Yunho's reintegration, and San and Wooyoung's little Island of wonders. Hongjoong couldn't help but feel tensed during the whole night, and even Seonghwa's smooth gaze and gentle caresses on the knee weren't enough to keep him calm. At some point, Yeosang had enough :_

“ _Alright what's going on Hongjoong-hyung ? You look like we're going to rip your throat off, Seonghwa can't keep his hands to himself in order to keep you from jumping out of the room, what's happening here ? Aren't you happy to be here with us ? You don't' stare at the door though so you_ have _to be happy to see us, right ?”_

_Hongjoong felt horrified that Yeosang could think that._

“ _Oh God no I do ! I'm sorry it's just- I've had a lot on my mind these last few days ...” he glanced at Seonghwa and corrected himself, “months even ...”_

“ _But it's about us, isn't it ?”_

_Yeosang was too smart for his own good. He probably had heard it a lot already._

“ _There's something we've been thinking about, the both of us ! We have a project, something we want to do together, but with you by our sides as well. That includes you too Changbin if the idea is to your liking, as well as your brother and mother Yunho if you want to make sure they'll be safe,” said Seonghwa._

“ _To Changbin's liking but to not worry Yunho ? What could it be that is so opposite ?” wondered Mingi worriedly._

_Changbin and Wooyoung had raised interested brows, Jongho, San and Yeosang furrowed theirs, and Yunho was just keeping a straight face, waiting for the second part._

“ _We want to go to Australia. We want to leave the country and Australia being near South Korea, that's where we'd like to go. Technically, Seonghwa and I are both still wanted by the government for running away, we might have stolen a few things and live illegally in a few apartments too ...”_

“ _I went to Australia as a teenager to study and it was really pleasant. I want to go back there, and I know we'll be free men again. We can't have a real life in South Korea,” added Seonghwa._

_There was a silence, but then different answers erupted at the same time :_

“ _Wait, isn't it like, super hot in summer ? Hongjoong-hyung will die won't he ?”_

“ _No he won't, it's so hot his body will feel comfortable again. And it's like, balls freezing cold in winter so we're good.”_

“ _I need to buy new swimsuits.”_

“ _Are we going to Sydney ?! Oh man I want to go to Sydney so much !”_

“ _All this sun, gosh summers are going to make me fat with all this sugar I'll have to photosynthesize ...”_

“ _You can't get fat Wooyoung ...”_

_Seonghwa and Hongjoong didn't care for any of those. They only cared for Yunho's. They left the other enthusiastically speak among each other and waited in a tensed silence for Yunho's words._

“ _We have a lot of money saved aside Yunho, be it me from my University years and my parents before they forgot I exist, or Hongjoong with his military salaries and bonus. We_ can _bring them with us,” assured Seonghwa._

“ _I think I need to speak with them first, but you're lucky, my mother's been talking to me about taking Gunho out of Korea a little bit for holidays, maybe we can try and make it look like it's more than holidays.”_

_Everyone had went silent and listened to the exchanged. Still unsure, Hongjoong asked :_

“ _So you're coming with us ?”_

_Yunho smiled and chuckled._

“ _Of course I'm coming with you !”_

_Cheers could be loudly heard and the tenant of the apartment grimaced, afraid the noise might bother the neighbors._

“ _I'm in too, I can't wait to steal Australia's high class !” said Changbin._

“ _Who knows, maybe you'll steal a cute boy's wallet and then decide to bring it back to him because he's too cute,” teased Wooyoung._

“ _And maybe he'll have freckles and silver hair,” added Yeosang singing._

_Jongho turned to the others while Changbin threw himself on his friends :_

“ _Changbin-hyung has a very define type of boys and they won't stop teasing him about it.”_

_They went back to discussions, but deep inside, Hongjoon felt all the tension leave his shoulders. It was so intense he even fell back against Seonghwa's shoulder, the older wrapping an arm around his waist._

“ _See,” he whispered, “everyone agreed. And guess what ?”_

“ _What ?”_

“ _We're going on an adventure,” he smiled and kissed Hongjoong._


End file.
